Bake-Ahead Bliss: Freezing Cookies for Your Next Bake Sale
Planning ahead for a bake sale, holiday party or special event? We asked three powerhouse pastry chefs, and long time C4KC supporters, to share their best freeze-ahead cookie recipes and as always, they did not disappoint. Maybe you’re short on time or want to ensure fresh, delicious cookies while organizing and preparing in advance. These 3 distinct recipes are sure to delight and are fast, easy, fun and delicious. We know, because we baked and taste tested (read: gobbled down several in one sitting) all three!
Renata Ameni’s LEMON AND FLEUR DE SEL SHORTBREAD
About Renata: Executive Pastry Chef, Crown Shy + SAGA
A veteran of Eleven Madison Park and Manresa, Renata Ameni opened Crown Shy and Saga as Executive Pastry Chef. She now oversees the pastry programs at all Kent Hospitality Group properties as Executive Pastry Chef. In 2025, Ameni will open Birdee Bakery at the iconic Domino sugar factory building along Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s waterfront, as chef-partner.
Ingredients
360g (3 cups) All Purpose Flour
240g (Slightly over 2 sticks, 2.12 sticks) Butter, soft
120g (1 cup) Confectioner’s Sugar
1ea (one) Yolks
5g (approx 1 tsp) Fleur de Sel
1ea (one) Lemon, zested
Instructions
Combine all the dry ingredients plus lemon zest. Add yolks and soft butter. Mix just until combined. Roll to 0.5” thick. Refrigerate until mixture is firm enough to cut. Cut to: 2.5cm (approx 1in) x 4cm (approx 1.57in). Freeze*.Toss in granulated sugar before baking at 350F, for 10 minutes. Can also be frozen raw and baked later*.
*A great recipe for when you have fresh lemons to bake with because the dough freezes well! We recommend freezing up to 2 months to ensure maximum freshness.
Hannah Neville’s PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH
About Hannah: Owner/Pastry Chef at Honeybear Bake Shop
2024 Food Artisan of the Year UPPY winner, Hannah studied Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and received her associates degree in 2010. After graduating, she worked at The Inn at Little Washington. She then moved to Vail, Colorado, and worked at Sweet Basil and The Sebastian Hotel. After her time in Colorado, she moved and found her home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since moving to Charlotte she has been the pastry chef at 5Church Restaurant Group, Big View Diner, and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. She was furloughed from her job at The Ritz-Carlton when the pandemic hit.
That is when Honeybear Bake Shop was created; during her time of being furloughed she started baking more from home. She wanted to fulfill her dream of opening her own bakery. She started baking cookies, lots and lots of cookies. She decided that Charlotte needed a fun cookie bakery with unique fun flavors! Here we are today! Honeybear Bake Shop has been in business for two years. Honeybear Bake Shop has won Best Cookies in North Carolina by Yelp in 2021 and Charlotte Magazine BOB Award for Best Cookies in 2021 and 2022.
Ingredients
1 cup / 2 sticks Butter
1 ½ cups Peanut Butter
1 cup, packed Brown Sugar
I cup Sugar
¼ cup Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
3 ¼ cup Flour
Instructions
Using a mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract mix until combined, scraping down the sides. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined and make sure the bottom of the bowl is scraped and mixed all the way. Extra: Add desired toppings! With an ice cream sized scoop, scoop the dough. You want to have a rounded scoop. Freeze dough* until needed. To bake immediately, set the oven to 350F. Load pans and place in oven. Turn down oven to 325F bake for 16 minutes. Freeze baked cookies* in freezer bags for later use.
*We recommend freezing up to 2 months to ensure maximum freshness.
Samantha Benjamin’s (aka 'The Dessertist') CHEWY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP
A recipe passed down to her by her Mom, Cindy: “My mom has been making these cookies for a long time and passed along the recipe to me! She always has them freshly baked in her house and a big stash in the freezer ready to go. A favorite of mine, my dads and my kids! It’s so easy and a great treat to have in the freezer ready to pop in the oven at any time.”
About Samantha: Owner, The Dessertist
With degrees in both business and art, Samantha needed a creative outlet to put her artistic talents to use. She opted to use her kitchen as a studio. Cake, cookies and other desserts became her medium. Her love of art and baking helped turn her dreams into a reality and with that she launched her company THE DESSERTIST.
THE DESSERTIST has since then become a well-recognized brand and Samantha has become a notable artistic pastry chef with a growing list of clients across the country. Her ability to create customized, one-of-a-kind desserts has captured the eye of many, allowing her the privilege to create unique delectables for notable chefs and celebrities. Samantha has since become a voice within the culinary industry, inspiring and educating her followers. Food Network described Samantha as an - “An easy-to-love chef’. As an award-winning chef, her unique approach to desserts in both flavor and design have gained her recognition within the culinary and design worlds. THE DESSERTIST is a fully wholesale and dessert catering company with products sold in more than 50 stores - with wholesale partnerships growing exponentially. As a NY founded brand, partnerships include sporting giants such as the New York Yankees, Knicks and Rangers.
Ingredients
1.5 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
3 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 ½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs and mix until incorporated. Add flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well mixed. Add chocolate chips and mix. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a spoon, place dollops of the cookie dough on to the sheet spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. To Freeze Dough: Scoop cookie dollops onto tray. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Put into a container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
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