I don’t know what it is about cookies and holidays, but those two seem to hang out together all the time. Really, it’s getting to the point where people are talking, and the pies are getting a little jealous and spreading rumors all over Facebook. It’s pretty juvenile, if you ask me. I happen to think there’s always room for both, so no need to fight.
Of course, the cookie aficionados will beg to differ, and this Kitchen Talk post is specifically for all your cookie lovers out there. (We’ll talk about pies soon, I promise.) If you love baking or even just eating cookies, tell us:
What are your favorite cookie tips and tricks?
I once read somewhere that if you want to keep your cookies soft and chewy even after a few days, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The bread releases its moisture into the air, and the sugar in the cookies captures that moisture, keeping the cookies soft. So just keep replacing the slice of bread as it gets stale and dry, and the cookies will always have a supply of moisture so they stay moist. (Can you tell I like chewy cookies?)
How about you? What are your favorite cookie tips and tricks? Do you like using melted butter? Softened butter? Brown butter? Do you let the cookie dough rest a bit, or do you bake the cookies immediately? Do you have any favorite brands of chocolate, or vanilla, or do you have a secret ingredient that makes your cookies extra special? Come share below!
23 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Barb on 10.26.2014
Like Linda, I keep track of what I am baking for the holidays with a spreadsheet. I list items I need and use it as a shopping list for special items, but I haven’t tried to total things like flour, sugar and butter–gotta try that. I also prepare all my dry ingredients in advance, usually on weekdays and bake them up on the weekends. I weigh the dry ingredients–it saves time and is more consistent than measuring.
Brenda on 10.22.2014
I always use King Arthur Flour. It is the best!
Erika (TK) on 10.17.2014
Oh Linda. You had me at “spreadsheet.” What a great system! I now want to bake tons of cookies just so I can design a spreadsheet of my own. And the dry ingredients in plastic bags? Genius.
Linda Lakewood on 10.16.2014
I bake lots and lots of different kinds of cookies for the holidays to give as gifts for friends and family. To help organize my shopping, I make a “spreadsheet”, listing ingredients (flour, sugar, brown sugar, etc.) in columns across the top, and the cookie names (with baking temp. and time) down the side. For each recipe I list the amount of each ingredient, then total them at the bottom, so I know how much to buy. This works out great as I can easily read the recipe across the sheet.
I also measure all of the dry ingredients at one time, putting each recipe’s ingredients in a plastic bag or container with a label. On baking day, all I have to do is prep the “wet” ingredients, fold in the dry ingredients, then measure out the cookies and bake. Works for me!
Shawna C on 10.16.2014
I’m about to give at least one baker below a heart attack, but my father in-law and I always fight over the cookies that are just shy of burnt. I’m talking a nice, deep, caramelized brown. Forget the pale and puffy cookies! Pah!
We also have an egg-allergy issue, but have found that we can substitute mashed banana in most chocolate-chip cookie recipes, and the banana-chocolate combo is delicious!
Yes to butter and real vanilla and brown sugar!
Linda from All and Sundry gave something like the following tips at some point (sorry to be vague, but I can’t find the post so I’m going from memory):
Take any chocolate chip cookie recipe, double the vanilla, double the chocolate chips, halve the baking time.
Cathy on 10.16.2014
To make a chewy, puffy and moist cookie, I will add a 4oz. box of INSTANT Vanilla Pudding and Pie Filling to the dough. This suggestion was in a magazine, from many years ago, for Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cookies. They always turn out great.
KrissyC EsMommy on 10.16.2014
I always scoop the cookies with an ice cream scoop, and pop the entire sheet into the freezer until they are firm then bake. Something about that extra chill time makes the cookies oh so moist in the middle. If I’m feeling lazy I have found that most cookie recipes are easily turned into bars. Some of my cookie recipes I only make during the holidays and since there are allergies I always omit egg and use an egg replacer and when I do I add in a tablespoon or two of plain apple sauce to the recipe to keep the cookies moist and delic.
Allyson on 10.16.2014
I am not a big chocolate chip cookie fan (I know!). My husband is though, so I make them for him. Last time, instead of vanilla, I used almond extract. I couldn’t. stop. eating. them!! Just that small change made them delicious!!
Patricia @ ButterYum on 10.16.2014
Sandi – Oh yes, a timer is a must – precision makes me a happy baker. Laurie – going to try your spoon trick! And I agree, freezing cutout dough is a great trick. I also like to roll my cutout dough between sheets of wax or parchment paper, and I use wooden dowels as a guide so all my cutouts are the same thickness.
Sandi on 10.15.2014
Use butter. Seriously, they’re cookies, they will never be healthy. Don’t even try. I use a baking stone instead of a metal cookie sheet. I think it’s more forgiving and because it holds a lot more heat, I can take the cookies out earlier and let them finish on the stone. I saw someone comment about using a timer – you mean some people don’t?! Are they crazy? Not only must you time your cookies, you should remove them on the early side of done. Some cookies are meant to be crisp and crunchy, but they aren’t supposed to be hard. If the bottoms are brown you’re baking them too long. Even if they’re light brown. Scoops are awesome. Baking is an exact science. Chemicals and heat combine to make beautiful things but it can be destroyed – or at least disappointing – if the measurements are wrong. Don’t guess. Use a scale for your flour, especially, at least until you develop a good eye for it. Baking soda, powder, cream of tartar and even spices are a nasty surprise if you get even a small lump. I use a tiny strainer to make sure there aren’t any lumps before I add it to the flour. When making peanut butter cookies, add chopped dry roasted peanuts. Finally, try the World Peace cookie recipe. Simple, fast and incredibly yummy.
laurie on 10.15.2014
I bake cookies for the nurses every Wednesday at the hospital where I volunteer. I also bake for my doctors, the dentist and all my friends. Baking is twofold, part science, part love. It makes me so happy to make them happy! I have lots of tips for great cookies. I only bake 6-8 at a time on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Only ONE cookie sheet in the oven, not two or three, creates the best air flow. Yes, it’s time consuming! I turn the sheet half way through baking and “push” the cookies with a soup spoon so they maintain their round shape and don’t spread. That’s my biggest tip. People always want to know how I get the cookies to be so poufy, that’s how! I chill almost every dough at least an hour. I put the cookies on the sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes when I do cut outs to hold their shape better. I always use butter, unbleached flour, dark brown sugar and real vanilla. If I’m making Molasses Cookies, I roll them in Turbinado Sugar. I pipe frosting on lots of different cookies, not just cut outs. It’s so much prettier that way. If I decorate them, I use Sanding Sugar. The crystals are bigger and sparkle more. So…lots of tips, but the key ingredient is your passion for baking!
Claudia M. on 10.15.2014
When I make chocolate chip cookies, I use the traditional Toll House cookie recipe, but I reduce the amount of sugar. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of regular sugar and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. I cut it back to 1/2 cup of each. I always add toasted pecans, chopped. I use more than just the 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips. I add maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of another bag of chocolate chips. I use the expensive brand of pure vanilla, and I use real butter. My cookies get rave reviews.
Jeanne Wilcox on 10.15.2014
I almost always use dark brown sugar in cookie recipes. I love how it just adds more flavor. Real butter and pure vanilla extract.
DebbieK on 10.15.2014
I learned this from you Ree – I will often add a heaping tablespoon of Nutella to cookie dough to add depth of favor. Not in sugar cookies, but in most cookie recipes.
Elizabeth Bearry on 10.15.2014
Patricia @ ButterYum – Great OCD list. I would add that you need to set a timer for your cookies. My cookies have been saved many times because I set my microwave timer each time I bake a batch. Definitely butter, real vanilla, chill the dough, use a scoop, parchment or silpat, use 3 – 4 sheet pans for rotation in baking, cooling and next set to go into oven, use a timer, cool and enjoy with family and friends.
C. L. ( Cheryl ) "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser on 10.15.2014
Holy Hannah Patricia @ Butter Yum – Wow – loved the article!!! Really OCD you say…Are we all not OCD about something? HeHe Your TK Friend. Cheryl (Dang cookie jar is still empty!!!).
Patricia @ ButterYum on 10.15.2014
Theresa – I love how you said you and your cookies are happier when you don’t have to be so particular about their size or spacing – lol!!
Theresa on 10.15.2014
*Want a better snickerdoodle? Whatever amount of sugar your recipe calls for, always substitute light or golden brown sugar for half of it. The brown sugar makes a huge improvement in the flavor and texture of your cookies.
*Use real vanilla whenever possible–the artificial stuff just doesn’t compare.
*I tend to underbake my cookies a bit since I like mine soft and chewy–usually leaving them on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes will finish them off nicely.
*I rarely measure when scooping dough onto cookie sheets, nor am I particularly careful of spacing unless you can tell the cookie needs room to do its stuff. My cookies and I are happier this way.
helene on 10.15.2014
I always have golden raisins( my favorite) soaking in a jar with rum for oatmeal raisins cookies. I too, use a cookie scoop for all my drop cookies or those that need to be finished into a ball. Chilling dough is a necessity. Parchment lined pans makes for easy clean up. I use 2 sets of stacking wire racks to cool the cookies which saves table top space.
Patricia @ ButterYum on 10.15.2014
I forgot to mention my mother-in-laws secret ingredient when making chocolate chip cookies. She adds chopped black walnuts to the standard toll house recipe. Black walnuts taste much different than English walnuts and the flavor of black walnuts and chocolate together is amazing.
Patricia @ ButterYum on 10.15.2014
Oh my, I could seriously write a book on the subject! I like to joke that I have “Baking OCD” because I like all my cookies to turn out the same size, shape, color, etc. Here are some of the tips I’ve developed over the years. 1) if a recipe gives you the option of butter or margarine, don’t even question it, go for the butter. 2) always use pure vanilla extract (you might not be able to taste the chemical flavor of artificial vanilla, but everyone else can and it’s bad, real bad). 3) unless specified, use fine sea salt or table salt rather than kosher because it dissolves and mixes into the dough better (note: if you want to substitute fine salt for kosher, use half the amount of kosher called for in the recipe). 4) chill cookie dough well before baking. 5) use good quality, heavy sheet pans that won’t warp in the oven. 6) line sheet pans with parchment or silpat liners (I love my silpats). 7) always put cookie dough on a cool sheet pan (warm will make the dough puddle and the cookies will spread too much while baking). 8) to portion dough, weigh with a digital scale or use a level ice cream scoop so every cookie is the same size and bakes in the same amount of time (scoops are available in many sizes – I find #50 to be the perfect size for most cookies – the number can be found on the little sweeper arm thingy). 9) preheat oven for at least 15 minutes and use an oven thermometer to make sure the oven is calibrated to the proper temperature. 10) space the cookie dough evenly and don’t crowd the sheet pans – a 12×18 pan will hold twelve #50 cookies. 11) unless otherwise directed, place sheet pans in center of oven. 12) cookies should rest for 5-10 minutes before being transferred to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Laura Lou on 10.15.2014
Always use a little more salt than you think you need — it tastes amazing next to all that sugar.
I like my cookies extra chewy, too, almost like flat brownies. Sometimes I don’t even put leavener (baking soda) in them…
C. L. ( Cheryl ) "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser on 10.15.2014
Our favorite cookies are a plain sugar cookie with a trio of citrus buttercream frosting/icing. Also Raisin Oatmeal rank up there. Everyone loves Toll House cookies. Seems my Cookie jar never stays full! Have a great day everyone! Cheryl