Anytime Cookies

There are few things in the world more delicious (and that make your whole house smell amazing) than fresh baked cookies. Certain times of the year (like around the winter holidays) it can be a little bit hard to find time to bake. With a few simple steps and a little preparation though, you can make cookies for your friends, family, office, or classmates with limited stress and in hardly any time. As an added bonus, having cookie dough on hand means you can have a cookie or two (or 12 if you're like me and can't resist fresh cookies) at a moment's notice.

^{Note: Sorry about the quality of some of these photos - my camera was acting up so I had to use my phone}


You'll Need. . .

• Cookie dough (I used the following recipes: Scoochmaroo's Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies, the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie portion of these awesome German Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (sans chips), these amazing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies)

Either:

• Cookie scoop (this is the one I have - I think it's pretty great)
• Sheet pan lined with foil
• Plastic bags
• Pen or marker

Or:

• Plastic wrap
• Foil (optional but suggested)
• Pen or marker

How To
First, you'll need to make your cookie dough according to the recipe directions whenever you have time to do so. You can make the dough several days or even weeks in advance (or even YEARS in advance if you're brave). I tend to make a batch of dough or two when I have a half hour or so free after work or during the weekend.

Note: if your dough is stored in the freezer for an extended period and you notice freezer burn or anything out of the ordinary on its surface, it may be better to pitch it and start again with new dough just to be safe.

If you want to go with scoop cookies:

1. Use a cookie scoop to portion out small balls of the dough and place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet
2. Place the pan into the freezer and chill overnight
3. Label your bags with the dough type and date and place the frozen balls of cookie dough inside
4. Seal and store in freezer until ready to bake

If you want to go with sliced cookies:

1. Depending on the size of your batch of dough, divide the dough into 1 - 4 portions so that it's easier to work with
2. Place each portion on a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a log shape approximately 10 inches long
3. Carefully wrap the dough in plastic and then in foil (if using - if not using foil, a second layer of plastic is a good idea)
4. Mark the type of dough and date on the outside of the dough log and store in the freezer until ready to bake

To Bake!

1. Whether you've opted for scooped or sliced, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (all of the recipes I used call for 350 which makes things way way easier. If your recipes call for different temperatures, make sure to mark that on your dough when freezing)
2. Place scoops of dough on parchment- or silicone-lined cookie sheets OR carefully unwrap your logs of dough and cut 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices and place on lined cookie sheets
3. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until lightly browned (tip: for scooped peanut butter cookies, after about 3 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and use a fork to smoosh the cookies down and make the traditional cross-hatch pattern on top, then return to the oven to finish baking)
4. Allow to cool slightly on the pans, then transfer to a rack to cool fully
5. Pack up in a pretty tin or other container to bring to friends (or to store until you gobble them up with a glass of milk)