Valentine's Day Oatmeal M&M Cookies - Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats (2024)

FAQs

How long do homemade cookies stay fresh? ›

Information. Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.

Storing Tips to Keep Cookies Soft

Store cool cookies in an airtight container (not a cookie jar with a loose lid) at room temperature. Putting cookies, cakes or breads in the refrigerator will dry them out.

To extend the shelf life of products, many bakers use specially formulated enzymes for preservation. These naturally occurring protein compounds can keep baked goods soft while preventing crumbling and staling.

Storage Temperature Matters

The temperature can be a big factor when storing cookies. Unless otherwise noted, don't store cookies in the refrigerator: The cool air can rob cookies of their moisture and make them taste bland. In general, store cookies at room temperature or freeze them, as specified above.

For puffy and tender treats like snickerdoodles, soft chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, or sugar cookies, a little moisture will help them retain their soft texture. If you are planning to eat the cookies within a few days, place them in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag.

Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.

After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze them, then store them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag labeled with the name and date. Squeeze out extra air and place flat in the freezer. To save space, you can flat-stack freezer bags.

To keep your cookies fresh, you need to keep air out. For that reason, we suggest storing cookies in an airtight container—here are our picks for the best cookie storage containers. Make sure nothing gets in the way of the container and its lid, and double-check that the seal is tight.

If you are planning to eat the cookies within a few days, place them in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag. You can also place a slice of sandwich bread inside the container, which will absorb excess moisture and help keep the cookies soft.

How long will homemade cookies stay fresh and how should they be stored? Put them in a plastic bag in the fridge and they should last a few weeks. Or in the freezer they should last months. Out in the air, at room temperature, they don't go stale, they get hard (not sure why this is).

How do you store fresh homemade cookies? ›

Baked cookies will stay fresh for three days in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you decide to freeze baked cookies, plan to defrost and serve them within three months. How do you like to store your cookies?