Bakers: can a cookie recipe simply be halved with no damage done to final product? (specifically referring to a basic ginger snap recipe)

Hi everyone--thought I'd report: I made the whole recipe; half the dough is individually divided and frozen and ready to bake at a moment's notice. The ginger snaps came out great and made delicious ice cream sandwiches. I highly recommend the recipe on the site for Ginger Snap Ice Cream Sandwiches! Thanks for all the good ideas.

Reducing the amount of dough is easy and works well, but you generally need to adjust the recipe to the number of eggs you want to be using and work from there because it's hard to halve an egg properly.
You can always take extra cookies to work or give them to friends, anyone who complains is an ingrate.

What a great idea, freezing the dough!! Mr. T, who likes homemade bread toasted with homemade jam (his primary snack for the last 20 years), lately has asked for some alternatives. Just yesterday I was telling him perhaps I should make him some oatmeal cookies. Self-control can be a bit of challenge here, however. This post could not have come at a more perfect time!! ;o)

My mom used to make up a double batch of Chocolate Chippers even just for her and Dad. Then she'd divide the dough up into about 6 smallish amounts, and every week she'd bake up a few for Dad. She did this until a stroke took her brain out when she was 92!

Fun benefit for me was that whenever I came to visit, she always had fresh warm cookies waiting. ;)

everyone--thank you again! freezing is such a great idea. instant dessert for dinner parties, which means i can spend more time on the savory courses (my preferred cooking mode). cheers!

I still make whole batches of cookies, then freeze most of the dough dropped already onto the cookie sheet. Once frozen, they can be transferred to a container or plastic bag and kept in the freezer for a couple of months. My husband bakes 2 at a time in the toaster oven when he gets a rare sweet tooth. (Saves him from buying packaged cookies!)

I do it all the time! Actually I quarter or even sixth mine. I'm the only vegan in the house so ive gotten used to reducing recipes to be single servings. Making an entire 2 dozen batch of vegan cookies as the only vegan and only person with a serious sweet toooth in the house produces VERY bad results since I have no self control when it comes to sweets! So yes it should be no problem at all, but always use your own culinary judgement; if the batter looks dry add more liquids, if its too wet add more flour, make to taste, etc. Good Luck!

You can also freeze the unused dough and then you already have it made the next time you want some fresh cookies.

thanks all!! there's only two of us here, too, so a whole cookie recipe is a dangerous thing.

Yep! I love baking but there are only 2 of us in the house. I often halve cookie recipes. They're easy to make and with half a recipe, less of a sugar overload.

I think so. shouldn't be a problem.

yes