I get this question quite often so thought I’d share some info. with you in a short post. By no means am I an expert; it’s just what I’ve found works for me through trial and error, but I hope you find this helpful.
Before I begin, a few details to go over:
- I’ll be talking about the recipes I use (you can find them here). All recipes are different. Although the answers here will help you in general, it’s best to do some testing if you’re using other recipes, to find out how long yours will last.
- No preservatives are in the recipes I use – everything is from scratch.
- In terms of planning your cookie decorating, besides figuring out how far ahead you can begin making them, these Cookie Decorating Schedules may be helpful for you.
Although I’ve tested them for longer and the batches I’ve tried seem fine for up to 4 weeks, my general rule of thumb is up to 2 weeks. I know they’re fine to eat at 4 weeks, but I feel better about giving the cookies away when the recipients don’t need to eat them right away.
It’s important to wrap them in some sort of an airtight bag or container once they’re dry. I like to put cookies individually in cellophane bags and tie with a pretty ribbon.
Shrink wrapping isn’t necessary, but I’d love to hear from you if this is the method you use. Do your cookies generally stay fresh longer?
A few other ‘shelf-life’ tidbits of information for you:
- Gingerbread cookies typically have a long shelf life. (4-6 weeks).
- I’ve also noticed that gourmet stores with custom decorated cookies (from scratch/no preservatives), have a shelf life of about one month.
- If you’re interested in freezing decorated or undecorated cookies, you can find information in this post and the comment section here.
This Cinderella decorated cookie is the second in a series of princess cookies (Click here to find the first one),copied fromthis piece of art.{Thank you, suisei-ojii-sama!}. I tried to stay true to suisei-ojii-sama’s design, and really fought back the urge cover her dress in disco dust, but I couldn’t resist adding the tips of her little shoes, and of course, covering with disco dust.
A few sweet morsels of information I’d like to share with you:
- The Cinderella cookie shape was made by hand cutting the dough with a paring knife. Easy enough to do if you’re only doing a few cookies, but a heads-up in case you don’t already know, time-consuming if you’re doing a lot of them. There’s got to be cutters out there you could use though (drop me a line please if you see one), or even just pipe her on a rectangular cookie.
- I used a Kopykake projector to help me pipe Cinderella’s shape.
- Click here for the royal icing recipe I used.
Thank you for reading me here, I appreciate each and every comment, and love to hear from you!
If you’d like, leave me a comment below, on Facebook, twitter, youtube or instagram, and share your findings about the shelf life of cookies as well – I love to hear what you’ve learned in your cookie decorating journey.
Have fun baking!
xo,
Marian
p.s.
FAQs
Now for decorated cookies. If you leave them on the counter, at room temperature, they should be good to go for about two weeks. If you decide to leave them in the fridge, they will last about a week, but keep in mind that it's best to eat them within the first three days.
How long do decorated cookies stay fresh? ›
Room Temperature:
Baked and decorated cookies can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
How far in advance can you make and decorate cookies? ›
If you want to make your cookies in advance… totally doable! 1 week before event: I start the process UP TO 1 week before the event and don't do any freezing in this time period (either of the icing or cookies).
What is the shelf life of homemade cookies? ›
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.
How long will cookies stay fresh in a Ziploc bag? ›
Place cookies in a fully sealable plastic bag or container. Store them in the fridge for up to two weeks.
What homemade cookies stay fresh the longest? ›
Dry cookies, like shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, and Danish butter cookies, will stay fresher for longer because they have very little moisture.
How many days before a party can you make cookies? ›
My advice.... make the cookies a day ahead. Even two days. Even more than that and freeze them.
How far in advance of Christmas can you make cookies? ›
You'll find that most of your favorite Christmas cookie recipes can be made anywhere from a month to six months before the 25th of December. (Consult this handy how-to guide to the matter.) Generally, most recipes will be best if baked and then frozen.
Should you refrigerate sugar cookies before decorating? ›
Time to Decorate!
*Use my royal icing recipe. Icing will completely set in about 2 hours at room temperature. If you're layering royal icing onto cookies for specific designs and need it to set quickly, place cookies in the refrigerator to speed it up.
How do bakeries keep cookies fresh? ›
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.
However, keep in mind that if you leave cookies out for too long, they will go stale, whether store-bought or homemade. Generally, it's best to refrigerate cookies if you're looking to store them for a long time or if they have a topping that will spoil if left out.
How do you store cookies so they don't go bad? ›
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.
How far in advance can you decorate cookies? ›
Icing is fine at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, it's best to refrigerate it. Cookies are fine at room temperature for about a week.
How long do homemade decorated cookies last? ›
Now for decorated cookies. If you leave them on the counter, at room temperature, they should be good to go for about two weeks. If you decide to leave them in the fridge, they will last about a week, but keep in mind that it's best to eat them within the first three days.
Why poke holes in sugar cookies? ›
The holes trick
There's also a new technique going around when preventing craters in a second layer of icing: poke holes in the base flood (under the area you'll cover with a second layer of icing). You can even do this when the first layer flood has completely dried!
How long do Personalised cookies last? ›
If stored in a refrigerator they can last upto 2 weeks. On the other hand, commercial processed cookies can last weeks or even months if they are unopened and stored in a cool dry place. The recipe is very important.
How long do decorated sugar cookies last in heat sealed bags? ›
Heat Sealing. Heat sealing is magic sauce when it comes to decorated sugar cookies. A heat sealed cookie that's completely protected from air can last anywhere from 4-6 weeks!
How do I make sure my cookies stay fresh? ›
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 do you store decorated Christmas cookies? ›
Store Cookies Without Frosting Them
And if you've already iced your cookies? Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, shares Auxer. Like unfrosted cookies, frosted varieties should be stored in layers in between sheets of wax paper to prevent sticking.
