Even though making cookies is reasonably quick, it still may take a while when you’re making a lot of them. Therefore, your cookie dough is probably going to sit out for some time, and that may leave many of you wondering:
How long can cookie dough sit out? According to the guidelines by the USDA, cookie dough can’t sit out for more than two hours, so that it’s completely safe to use it. So although in most cases, cookie dough should be good for a bit longer, it’s recommended to throw it away after the two-hour stamp passes.
This is barely anything there is to be said about cookie dough sitting out, though; in fact, much more will be uncovered in this article, so let’s not waste any more time and just jump right into it!
Table of Contents
- Does cookie dough need to be refrigerated?
- How long can cookie dough sit out of the fridge?
- Can cookie dough be left out overnight?
- How long is Pillsbury cookie dough good for after opening?
- How long can edible cookie dough sit out?
- How long can cooked cookie dough sit out?
- How long can store-bought cookie dough sit out?
- How can you tell if cookie dough is bad?
- How do you keep cookie dough fresh?
- What happens if you don’t refrigerate cookie dough?
- What happens when you eat bad cookie dough?
- Summary
- Resources
Does cookie dough need to be refrigerated?
The cookie dough needs to be refrigerated if you’re planning on storing it for a longer time because, in the opinion of the USDA, perishable food should never sit out for more than two hours.
But on the other hand, when you put it into the fridge, the cookie dough should be able to stay good for at least two days and, in some cases, even as long as four days.
How long can cookie dough sit out of the fridge?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, no perishable food is safe to eat after it was left out for more than two hours, and cookie dough isn’t an exception. Therefore, cookie dough can sit out of the fridge for just two hours if you want
After that, it may very likely be dangerous to eat because bacteria grow exceptionally quickly at room temperature, resulting in things like cookie dough spoiling just in a blink of an eye.
Can cookie dough be left out overnight?
As the USDA says, cookie dough shouldn’t be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, just like every other perishable food out there. And even though, in most cases, it won’t turn bad that quickly, cookie dough definitely cannot be left out overnight.
Three or four hours should still be okay, but overnight usually means at least eight. And that is simply far too long, so we highly recommend you throw the dough away.
Pillsbury cookie dough left out overnight – is it ok?
In the opinion of the United States Department of Agriculture, Pillsbury cookie dough cannot sit out for longer than two hours. Hence, Pillsbury cookie dough left out overnight is not okay because that means it was left without refrigeration for much longer than the mentioned two hours.
And because of the exceptionally high activity bacteria have at room temperature, chances are that will result in the Pillsbury cookie dough being dangerous to eat.
How long is Pillsbury cookie dough good for after opening?
When already opened, Pillsbury cookie dough should be used within 5 days. The reason for that is that oxygen can get to the package after it is opened, which not only takes away from the dough its deliciousness but also makes it dangerous to eat after a while.
How long can Pillsbury cookie dough sit out?
According to the USDA’s safety guidelines regarding perishable food, Pillsbury cookie dough cannot sit out for any more than two hours if you want to be entirely sure that it’s safe to eat.
That’s because bacteria overgrow at room temperature, which can make things like cookie dough spoil even in a short time.
How long can edible cookie dough sit out?
As the USDA says, edible cookie dough can sit out for no more than two hours, just like pretty much every other perishable food. The reason is that bacteria grow quickly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, meaning it may be dangerous to eat things like cookie dough after a while of sitting out.
How long can cooked cookie dough sit out?
In the opinion of the USDA, perishable food can be left out for only two hours to be safe to eat, and that includes even cookies. Hence, cooked cookie dough cannot sit out for any more than two hours before it is dangerous to eat it.
How long can store-bought cookie dough sit out?
The United States Department of Agriculture says that there shouldn’t be perishable food left out of the fridge for more than two hours under any circumstances. And that means store-bought cookie dough can sit out for only something around these two hours.
After that amount of time passes, eating the dough may cause some harm to you because bacteria multiply very fast at room temperature.
How can you tell if cookie dough is bad?
Believe it or not, telling bad cookie dough from the good one is an extremely straightforward task. To tell if cookie dough is bad, just take a good look at it. Didn’t notice any weird stains? Awesome, now make sure that there’s no weird smell coming from it either, and the dough is good to go!
How do you keep cookie dough fresh?
Just like with every other food ever, storing cookie dough so that it will stay as fresh as possible is nothing complicated! To keep your cookie dough fresh, you first have to store it in some airtight sealed containers. After that is done, just put the bags into the fridge, and voila, you’re done!
Putting your cookie dough into the fridge is needed, primarily because of its fats. Mainly due to them, cookie dough starts to change its structure and other abilities even after a few minutes when you don’t refrigerate it.
And precisely because of that, you should always refrigerate your cookie dough if you want to be sure that it’s safe to eat.
What happens when you eat bad cookie dough?
Just like with any other bad food, eating bad cookie dough might result in you being sick. So when you eat bad cookie dough, chances are you’re going to vomit or have a stomach ache or diarrhea.
Because of that, you should always throw out any weird-looking or smelling cookie dough as soon as possible.
Summary
Although many wouldn’t technically consider it food, cookie dough falls into the category of perishable food. And that, at least according to the USDA, means it should never be left out of the fridge for more than two hours.
Because bacteria grow very quickly at room temperature, leaving the dough there for a longer time may very likely end up being dangerous to eat. Therefore, it is always recommended to keep your cookie dough in the fridge, and also airtight sealed if possible.
Also Read:
- How Long Can Oat Milk Sit Out?
- How Long Can Cake Sit Out?
- How Long Can Scrambled Eggs Sit Out?
- How Long Is Chicken Salad Good For?
- How Long Are Jello Shots Good For?
Resources
Image credits – Canva