It’s cookie swap time! Except instead of another cookie recipe, I interrupt this year’s holiday cookie swap with more cookie baking secrets from the pros for you. By now, you’ve been baking your little fingers off like holiday elfs, so it is only fitting that I share my tips for how to store all those cookies you’re baking. After all, who wants stale cookies at the cookie swap this year?

Don’t forget that you can follow along and get all of the cookie swap recipes on the blog and sign up to have the recipes emailed right to your Inbox. Either way, I’m so excited you’re joining me in the kitchen this holiday season. Cookies are my love language!

Pro Cookie Baking Tips For You

Being in a hurry is the enemy of well-stored cookies. Your cookies will keep for five days or frozen, if you follow the rules.

This means that you can start early for your cookie swap and get a head start. No need to stay up the night before.

Remember from my cookie baking secrets post, bake your cookies one batch at at time and always start with room temperature ingredients.

You got this!

How To Store Your Holiday Cookies

1. Completely cool the cookies. You must let your cookies cool totally and completely. I can’t stress this enough. Warm, almost cool cookies, do not cut it. Cookies need time to set or they will stick together or fall apart.

2. Store in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Be sure to push as much air out as possible before sealing up your bag or container of cookies.

3. Store in a cool, dry place. If you store your cookies next to the oven, you’ll bring the cookie’s temperature up and they can get gooey or melt. Or see tip #1, they will stick together or fall apart.

4. Freeze baked cookies. I know some people make dough, freeze it and only pull a few out to bake as needed. But, you can freeze finished cookies, too. Separate the cookie layers between parchment paper to keep cookies from sticking together. If cookies require finishing such as powdered sugar or frosting, freeze the cookies bare and finish them when you are ready to eat.

How To Enjoy Frozen Cookies

Speaking of frozen cookies, my business partner, Donna, makes my chocolate chip cookie recipe on the regular and she swears they are better frozen. She tosses a bunch of baked cookies in a freezer bag and pulls one out to enjoy each day.

I prefer my cookies more warm just-out-of-the-oven, but you might want to give it shot and try freezing cookies yourself. Her son and my kitchen manger, agrees…they love the frozen cookies.

C’est la vie!

Join Minette’s Cookie Swap This Year!

So, what about you? Did you join my Cookie Swap and make the snowball cookies? I’d love to see your comments and experience with this recipe. Leave me a comment below and we can talk all things cookie swap and Southern snowball recipes!

Remember, I’ll send you all of this year’s cookie swap recipes right to your Inbox, plus share my cookie baking secrets, so don’t forget to sign up for my cookie swap emails right here.

Join Minette’s Cookie Swap right here and see all of this year’s Cookie Swap recipes!

Join Minette Rushing & C’mon In The Kitchen

C’mon in the kitchen with Minette Rushing Custom Cakes! For more of my baking secrets and Southern dessert recipes, be sure to follow along on the blog while I share cookies recipes, my best cake recipes and delicious recipes for fillings and how to make frosting recipes and so much more!

You can also shop all of my baking essentials and tools, so you’re fully equipped to join me in the kitchen for all things sweet and Southern. If you’re looking for the recipes that built my business and other business tips, please check out my cake business shop where I’ll show you how to build the cake business of your dreams, just like I did.

C’mon in the kitchen with me!

XOXO

Minette

Did You Make Any Cookie Swap Cookies?

Did you make any cookies in this year’s cookie swap? (I’m a personal fan of the Southern Cheese Straws, but you knew this about me already!)

I’d love to hear from you with a comment below.

Let me know what cookies you’re baking with your family this holiday season or bringing to this year’s cookie exchange. You can also leave any baking questions, I’m here to help.