Cookie Question need answer sort of quick

[farnfam]

About my chocolate gingerbread men, do I ice/decorate them before I freeze them or what??? I've not ever done the freezing thing, so don't know the rules. They are all done, and cooling on the rack. Need directions please

[Gourmet_Mom]

My two cents, I'd freeze them without decorating. I'm pretty sure that's what Jean did. She said she didn't decorate them, yet in her post about her cookies, but she DID say all her cookies were safely in the freezer. Not certain, though.

[farnfam]

Thanks, Daph, that seems right to me too. I will freeze them now and decorate before we leave.
I got the cutest cake/cookie platters with matching servers, to pile all the cookies on. A nice little touch to give to the hostesses.

[labradors]

My question would be if they would have to be allowed to come to room temperature before decorating them - maybe the reverse of the problem of putting frosting on something hot, but perhaps with similar results. Otherwise, I'd freeze them AFTER decorating them. After all, similar decorations do just fine on ice cream cakes.

[farnfam]

Rob, I was going to let them come to room temp before decorating, I hope that's okay.
Where are you Jean

[cjs]

Sorry, yesterday was the monthly trip to the big city...

Cis, the way I feel about pastry/baking (and throw decorating in the same category) I didn't/don't decorate my cookies - EVER - I just tried the gingerbread men 'cause some folks had difficulties with cookie batter somwhere in that thread and I wanted to make sure the dough worked before I mentioned it.

So, what I'm saying is, I have no idea! Where's PJ????

[foodfiend]

I find that, when I've decorated gingerbread men with a royal-icing then frozen them, the decorations have a tendency to fall off after the frozen cookies are thawed. I'm not sure how a buttercream decorating icing would act, but in any case I would allow them to thaw at room temp then decorate (just to be safe).

[farnfam]

Thanx everyone, I just ziplocked bagged them and popped in the freezer. I'll thaw and decorate before we take off, and arrange on those adorable platters I found

[pjcooks]

Hi, all, I'm actually here! The job is winding down.

I wouldn't decorate them before freezing. Not only does the icing tend to fall off, as mentioned, it picks up a freezer taste, no matter how well wrapped. (Frosting is delicate) I do freeze the cookies, though, after baked. Throw on the counter and thaw, then decorate.

One more day, I'll be back

PJ

[cjs]

How great you're going to have some down time for a while, PJ!! Take advantage of it.