Top Tips for Handling and Storing Cookies

Proper handling and storage of cookie dough and baked goods are crucial in maintaining their quality and freshness. It also helps prevent food contamination and maintain good food safety practices. 

If you need a guide on how you can optimise your storage methods, don’t worry. Cookie Man is here to help you. Pay attention to these guidelines, and you'll be sure to serve up the freshest, most delicious treats possible.

How to store cookie dough

Pre-made cookie dough can be a great time saver if you want to make delicious cookies and biscuits for your customers quickly. You can scoop them onto a baking sheet and put them in the oven without measuring or mixing any ingredients. 

But of course, just like any other food item on your menu, you also need to know how to store it properly. Here are some tips on how to keep your frozen cookie dough fresh. 

Refrigerate or freeze your cookie dough until ready to bake 

Refrigerating your cookie dough until you're ready to bake prevents it from becoming over-risen or too flat, and avoids any potential bacterial growth.

So before portioning out your dough for baking, keep it chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. When you're ready to bake, take out only what you need and immediately return the rest of the dough back to the fridge. 

Rotate stock regularly  

When stocking frozen cookie dough, it's essential to follow the first in, first out (FIFO) method. By rotating stock this way, you can be sure that older cookies are not sitting on the shelf for too long and that they are all being sold at their peak freshness. 

Don't forget to label and date your dough containers so that you can rotate them properly and use them within a safe timeframe. Here are some tips for labelling cookie dough containers: 

• Be specific about the contents: Include the type of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and other ingredients that went into the dough. This will help you remember what's inside when you're ready to bake.
• Use a permanent marker: This way, you won't have to worry about the labels smudging or coming off in the fridge.
• Date your dough: This is especially important if you're making a large batch of cookies. By dating the containers, you'll know how long they've been in the fridge (and how fresh they are).

How to store baked biscuits

If you’re sourcing baked cookies and biscuits from a supplier, you must consider a few things regarding proper storage. Your supplier might have special instructions on keeping these treats fresh, but here are more guidelines to help you serve the best possible product to your customers. 

Maintain clean storage areas 

Aside from using clean utensils, it's also important to maintain clean equipment and storage areas. This means regularly sanitising any baking equipment and surfaces, and keeping your storage area free from clutter or potential contaminants. 

You can create a cleaning checklist to ensure that all storage areas are properly cleaned. Depending on the size of your cafe, you also need to schedule daily, weekly, or monthly cleaning sessions. Just make sure to allocate enough time for each session so that all surfaces can be thoroughly cleaned.

Invest in high-quality containers

Investing in high-quality cookie containers helps ensure your cookies stay fresh and delicious for longer. When stored in inferior containers, cookies can become dry and crumbly. But by using the correct type of container, you can keep your cookies moist and flavourful for days.

Airtight cookie containers come in different shapes and sizes, so it's important to compare options before making a purchase. Choose containers made from durable materials such as glass or stainless steel. Plastic containers can become cracked or warped over time, making them less effective at retaining oxygen and moisture.

Separate your cookies by type

It's important to keep different types of cookies separated in storage, whether by flavour or texture. Mixing them together can cause the flavours to blend and potentially affect the taste of each cookie. 

Apart from this, certain cookies may also have different textures that could be affected by being stored with other types. For example, softer cookies may become crushed if stored with harder varieties. Separating them in a container will help maintain their intended flavour and texture.

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