How to store cookies
Best place: the pantry. Cookies are shelf stable and keep for 2 to 3 months in a cool, dry cupboard. The freezer gives 8 to 12 months.
2 to 3 months
from the package date
No guideline
8 to 12 months
best quality within
How to tell cookies have gone bad
General signs for baked goods: bakery, the group USDA lists cookies under.
- Fuzzy green, white or black spots anywhere on the surface
- Musty or sour smell instead of a baked, yeasty scent
- Hard, dry crumb that crumbles instead of springing back
- Sticky or slimy patches on cut surfaces
- Filling that separates, weeps liquid or smells sour
More on baked goods: bakery. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Keep bread and cookies in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for a few days, or freeze in an airtight bag for longer storage. Refrigerate anything with cream, custard or fresh fruit filling, and let frozen baked goods thaw at room temperature before serving.
How to store other baked goods: bakery
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.