I would thaw them in the refrigerator, but I think you could leave them on the counter for an hour first. I would not leave them out for more than an hour before refrigerating them. However, I've not frozen cookie dough myself.

Which ever is easier for you.

Lars & Lindac: Thanks! I decided I would do the refrigerator thaw method. That way if I get sidetracked ( as has been happening with me a lot lately) they won't get soft on the counter.

lizbeth, I'd also go with the refrigerator thaw method. I thaw cookies that have been individually portioned right on parchment paper on the trays on the counter, as soon as they thaw I pop them into the oven. Slice-and-bake cookies, though, I keep in the fridge for easy slicing, and they don't get that thaw time on the counter. Since they are always refrigerated, I'd keep them that way. I'm afraid time on the counter would soften to dough to the point where it would be difficult to make nice cuts.

Annie

I thawed the cookies in the refrigerator and baked the cookies today. They turned out great and I have decided I will never (or hardly ever) bake cookies on the same day I mix them up. I couldn't believe how much easier it is with two steps. The baking was almost effortless. All the hard work and clean-up was done on the day I mixed them.

LOL, cilantro, that happens here, but it's the grandkids!

lizbeth, I'm glad it worked so well for you. I always have a couple of bags of frozen cookies in the freezer so it's easy to just drop them onto a parchment sheet, let them thaw and bake them. Voila!!! Fresh cookies, with little advance preparation on my party.

Merry Christmas!

Annie

So, a few days later when I had a hankering for cookies, went to the freezer and discovered that my little brother had eaten ALL of the frozen cookie blobs.

I hope he didn't get worms. lol.