# Bulk Cookie Prep



## Chefbutters1022 (Jun 28, 2018)

I work in a bakery that does the majority of the product from scratch. To stay ahead we make our cookie dough, portion into dough balls and freeze for later use. My problem is that once baked the cookies aren’t spreading as they normally would. Any advice on how to proceed? Maybe pull thaw overnight and let sit room temp for an hour before baking?


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

It only takes about 15-30 minutes for cookie dough balls to thaw. At least enough so that you can flatten them just a little before they go into the oven. If you want them to spread more than they already are, then you do need to let them thaw a bit before baking.


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## gontothekitchen (Apr 13, 2018)

We temper on a speed rack for about 30-45 mins.


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## Charlie Ryan (Jul 28, 2019)

Don't portion them out before freezing. Pull cookie dough out of the freezer and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Then, before baking, let the dough sit on the counter for 1-2 hours. Portion it out at that time, then bake. Measure the internal temp of the cookie dough for consistency with future batches...


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

I just let them come to room temp on a paper lined tray. Then I put a sheet of paper or plastic over the who.e thing and give each cookie a small squish, then bake.


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## PoorlyChef (May 30, 2019)

foodpump said:


> I just let them come to room temp on a paper lined tray. Then I put a sheet of paper or plastic over the who.e thing and give each cookie a small squish, then bake.


This is how I do it too.. Works great..


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

I go through them so fast, I don't even freeze the balls.


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## Qwertyuiop (Oct 9, 2017)

Is there a cookie cutter machine that cut shortbread cookie fast instead of rolling it out and use a round cookie cutter and put the leftover dough back together and roll and cut again over and over 

I'm a bit OCD, I want every cookie in the exact clean round shape and thickness of 1/4 inch. The roll and cut take more time than making the dough itself ... Need a faster way to cut out shortbread cookies ... It won't be feasible because I won't be able to meet the demand when I get wholesale accounts


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

Not a master baker here or anything but if I'm wrong correct me but doesn't the type of fat used in the dough also affect how they 'spread' when cooked?


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## samst.germain (Aug 5, 2009)

So our bakery does things a bit differently...we make our cookie doughs, bake off and then freeze the cookies. Each morning, we pull what we need for the day, thaw and wrap them for retail. Personally, I think your way of baking them fresh each day makes for a better product. Our way is kinda meh but it's (marginally) quicker and at the moment we're understaffed.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

samst.germain said:


> So our bakery does things a bit differently...we make our cookie doughs, bake off and then freeze the cookies. Each morning, we pull what we need for the day, thaw and wrap them for retail. Personally, I think your way of baking them fresh each day makes for a better product. Our way is kinda meh but it's (marginally) quicker and at the moment we're understaffed.


Never heard it done that way. How long does a batch last you and how long do they stay in the freezer?


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## samst.germain (Aug 5, 2009)

Seoul Food said:


> Never heard it done that way. How long does a batch last you and how long do they stay in the freezer?


A batch is like 70 cookies and we sell through in a week or less.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

samst.germain said:


> A batch is like 70 cookies and we sell through in a week or less.


Interesting. I'm just trying to figure out how making all the dough, cooking them all off, freezing them, pulling them and re-wrapping them is more efficient than making the dough, freezing that dough and then just pulling and baking each day. Not trying to be negative I'm just not 100% understanding the thought process.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

The downside to baking off the cookies and then freezing them is that 1) you truly do lose that fresh-baked taste and texture and 2) you have to be more careful freezing them to avoid breakage. When you freeze dough balls, that worry is eliminated. You don't really eliminate any steps by baking off first either, so really, there's zero advantage to doing it that way, unless perhaps if you have personnel that needs to open the store quickly and they don't know how to bake. That's probably the only "plus" to that method.


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## samst.germain (Aug 5, 2009)

chefpeon said:


> The downside to baking off the cookies and then freezing them is that 1) you truly do lose that fresh-baked taste and texture and 2) you have to be more careful freezing them to avoid breakage. When you freeze dough balls, that worry is eliminated. You don't really eliminate any steps by baking off first either, so really, there's zero advantage to doing it that way, unless perhaps if you have personnel that needs to open the store quickly and they don't know how to bake. That's probably the only "plus" to that method.


I totally agree with you. Unfortunately I do not have the lead on this one and can only offer my opinions. Fresh baked every day would be so much nicer.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

samst.germain said:


> Fresh baked every day would be so much nicer.


Not to mention the smell of fresh baked cookies each day could entice more business.


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