Storing, Shipping, and Sharing

Making a batch of cookie dough does not always lead to a full batch of freshly baked cookies, sometimes you only need to bake a tray. Storing them properly is key to keeping your dough ready for the next batch.

• Refrigerating Dough: Having cookie dough in the refrigerator to bake off at will is handy when a sweet tooth strikes. However, knowing how the dough fares after a couple of days is important, and it all boils down to leavener. Typically, cookies with just baking soda for a leavener are the first to lose their effectiveness since baking soda is a single-acting leavener: it begins to produce lift giving air bubbles as soon as it gets wet and comes into contact with an acid. Once started, the action continues until all the leavening power is spent —usually within the first two days. Baking powder is double acting, so it releases gas twice: once when it gets wet, and again when it heats up. So even if the first batch of air bubbles is spent, the second action will allow the cookies to rise in the oven. As a general rule, we recommend leaving the unbaked dough in the refrigerator for no more than four days.

• Freezing Dough: By keeping unbaked cookie dough in the freezer, you can satisfy your craving for freshly-baked cookies anytime, without any worries about leaveners. After making the dough, portion it out as you would if baking right away—either on parchment lined baking sheets or on large plates—and place in the freezer until the dough is frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Remove the frozen unbaked cookies from the sheet, and arrange them in a zipper-lock bag or in layers in an airtight storage container and place them back in the freezer for up to two months. You may need to increase the recipes' baking time, but no defrosting is necessary.

• Storing Baked Cookies: Always store cookies at room temperature unless there is a filling or topping that requires refrigeration.

Slice-and-bake cookies - About 1 week in an airtight container

Brownies and blondies - About 5 days in an airtight container (ProTip: Uncut brownies last longer than cut brownies.)

Cookies are the ultimate giftable confection. Here are our tips for shipping cookies so they arrive in perfect condition

• Select wisely - cookies that are baked until dried throughout, like gingersnaps, remain intact, crunchy, and fresh-tasting. Moist, dense brownies and bar cookies also fare well. However, chewy cookies that started out moist can end up stale, and delicate cookies can crumble in transit.

• Combine like with like - moist brownies turn crisp meringues to mush. Gingersnaps transfer their spicy flavors to mild spritz cookies.

• Stack bars - place parchment between each bar, wrap small stacks together in plastic wrap, and enclose in zipper-lock bags.

• Pack with padding - surround wrapped cookies with lightweight bulk; packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and even popcorn work well. Place the most delicate items in the center of the box.