So I have 600 sugar cookies all due next Saturday and I want to start decorating ASAP so I don’t screw myself over (LOL) but I don’t know that they’ll keep fresh even in an airtight container. Does anyone have any tips to keep them fresh so I can decorate them in batches?? 

I have the cookies frozen right now but I’m a little scared to freeze them after being decorated  does anyone have any experiences to share? Or other tips?

Thanks!!

Are you bagging them? I'm not sure that I would freeze them, personally. I have found that even if the cookies are a little firm, they do soften once bagged. I would decorate them, bag them, and just push them off somewhere that they won't get touched by others in my house lol I have frozen decorated cookies successfully. Once they were completely dry, I put them in a container layered with parchment between each row, and put them in. When I was ready for them, I pulled them out and placed them on the counter, lid still on, until they were unfrozen. The condensation forms on the container, and not on the cookies.

I do it ALL THE TIME. Baked/undecorated, decorated/unbagged, and decorated/bagged. Any and all is fine. The biggest tip with cookies is to not open or touch the container whatsoever while they are thawing (opposite of cakes). Whatever they are: if undecorated, thaw overnight, and then I work on them. Decorated: Thaw overnight before touching. I just pop the container out of the freezer and leave it set at room temp overnight because then I know they are completely thawed. 

I also freeze decorated and bagged cookies. It really depends on your recipes so test a couple and see how they do!

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I have froze sugar cookies to decorate later. Same as inthekitchen2. I have also fully decorated sugar cookies and frozen them. Both my Valentine’s and Easter cookies were decorated and  frozen. Valentine’s for a month, Easter for 2 weeks. After thawing, cookies tasted just as good as the day I decorated them. As Jenn123 posted, really depends on your recipe. I actually use Jackie’s, owner of Cake Central, NFSC recipe. It’s very good. Hope this helps.

https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/2055/no-fail-sugar-cookies

https://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/3416531/happy-valentines-day-cookies

https://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/3417842/non-traditional-easter-cookies

So, of all the decorated cookies I've made, I've never had much of an issue with them getting stale. Once the Royal icing is on them, it seems to help keep them fresh. 

Now, my mother and her sisters may be crazy, but they have told me that they have found cookies they forgot they had a couple months later, and they were fine. I wouldn't serve anyone cookies that old that were being paid for, but I don't think you have to worry too much. After decorating, I store them in airtight containers, and no one has ever complained about stale cookies.

Totally agree rychevamp 

my dear friend actually tested the nfsc recipe and mailed one to several people across the country including me — from ky to tn — it was wrapped in plastic but i was a little shocked that it was just in a white business size envelope! no packing — was so good! 

but everytime i see this subject in the list amongst the bum cream and world famous astrology spam-a-wham — I just wanna say  the best way to make sugar cookies last is to keep them away from me!!

K8  thanks for making my morning start off w/a harty laugh! :)  

Ha Ha K8memphis..... I decided next Valentine’s and Easter I’m only making a very, very, I mean VERY small batch of sugar cookies. Did you know that sugar cookies actually call to you from the freezer!!! Very faint sometimes, but ohhhhh so distinct. I’m here....Eat Me...Eat Me...I’m freezing in here. I taste sooooo good...even eaten frozen...  

thank you lynne!

june, no kidding!!