Getting Started – Cookie

Testing suggests that you can mix the cookie dough and delay portioning and baking for up to 72 hours, that’s three days!

Our fearless leader, Katherine Kehrli, likes to whip up a double batch then bake off two or three sheet trays at a time over the subsequent evenings.

You definitely need to let the dough “hydrate” soak up the liquid in an overnight rest period. But, don’t feel like you have to rush right to baking. If your schedule gets interrupted know that you can still make these delicious cookies 24, 48 and even 72 hours later.

After 72 hours, you’ll notice that the dough starts to “seep,” releasing the liquid. That’s not the best for a successful bake. You can try stirring and incorporating that moisture back in, but basically, the grains are saying they’re done. Hydration is over, and the cell structure is releasing some moisture.

The great thing about Community Loaves is that you can literally bake whenever it works for your personal schedule, as long as you have access to a freezer.

However, if you don’t have access to a freezer or freezer bank, then you are a Saturday baker. You’ll want to bake on Saturday, package the items on Sunday (which provides plenty of time for loaves and cookies to cool), and then transport them to your designated hub.

Otherwise, you can bake any day of the week that suits your schedule. You’ll still package these beauties up the next day after they’ve had plenty of time to cool (see our Packaging and Freezing guidelines). Then pop the packaged items into your freezer or get them to a freezer bank. What’s a freezer bank? Learn more here.