Do I run food-safety risks (i.e., people falling ill), if I refrigerate cookie dough with egg in it for 4 or 5 days before baking? ;o)

In the past, some of my traditional holiday cookie doughs -- Lebkuchen, orange and lemon sugar cookies, nut crescents, etc. -- have remained in my (admittedly very cold) refrigerate for even a week, before I've had time to roll/shape/cut and bake them. Should I be putting this dough in the freezer instead? How many days can you refrigerate cookie dough with egg in it, before using it? Thanks so much. ;o)

AntoniaJames
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8 Comments

Anitalectric
Anitalectric November 16, 2011
If you are worried you should freeze it. If you roll inside of parchment paper you can just slice and bake and they will come out beautifully with no detriment to the flavor, if it comes down to fridge vs. frozen. You can go direct from frozen to hot oven and they will be great.
 
creamtea
creamtea November 15, 2011
I haven't baked real cookies in a long time (okay my kids are deprived). But if you portion out the dough into small ziplocs and sort of squash it flat, it is easy to freeze, defrosts pretty quickly and is super easy to bake in small batches (as I used to do when kids were small). The dough seemed firmer yet easier to handle, you can use a bench scraper or knife to cut it up, roll it around in your hands and flatten on a cookie sheet. (I'm thinking of oatmeal-choc. chip dough but probably works well with sugar cookie dough too).
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff November 15, 2011
I've heard of people getting sick eating raw cookie dough. not so much cooked, but
I think 4-5 days is too long. This site says 2-3:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/FreezerChart.htm
 
ChefJune
ChefJune November 15, 2011
I don't think anyone will get sick. After my sister and I left the house, Mom continued to bake cookies -- mostly chocolate Chip -- for Dad. She would make up the dough and put it into refrigerator storage dishes. She usually divided the dough into about 5 sections. That way she could bake up a few fresh cookies for him frequently, without baking the whole batch. I don't recall her freezing them, but she must have done that, also. I do know she kept the containers of dough in the fridge often for a week or so, and no one ever got sick that we know of. Great cookies, too!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 15, 2011
ChefJune, you're so right about the cookies tasting great. Just about every cookie I make regularly tastes better when it's had time for the flavors to blend for a few days. I'm making dough and freezing batches to make just a few at a time for Mr. T. (I usually just pop a pan in when I'm baking bread, or there's something else in the oven.) Dough that's been around a few days produces such a better cookie! ;o)
 
sdebrango
sdebrango November 15, 2011
I wonder the same thing which is why if I do not plan on baking the cookies within 2-3 days I always freeze the dough. I am doing so now, I try to make a batch of dough a day and freeze. Someone who knows the science behind the risk or not may enlighten but I usually err on the side of caution.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 15, 2011
I think I'm coming around to the "better safe than sorry" school of thought, as we hear more and more horror stories about contaminated food. I always buy organic, and locally when I can, but one never knows. . . ;o)
 
sdebrango
sdebrango November 15, 2011
After becoming very sick just this summer from contaminated cantaloupe, I really err on the side of caution. I always try to be careful but now I take no chances at all. I find cookie dough at least the types I make freezes so nicely and actually tastes better, at least I think so, after having a nice rest in the freezer or fridge.
 
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