As a baker with more than 10 years of experience, I have learned to make the best cookies ever.
Properly creaming butter and sugar is key to achieving a great texture.
For soft and chewy cookies, let cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
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Whether you’re baking for one or an entire party, homemade cookies are always a hit. And with the right recipe, anyone can bake up a delicious batch, no matter her skill level.
After working in a grocery store bakery and owning my own bakery, I have several hacks that I use every time I make cookies.
Beat butter and sugar properly
You will want to mix the butter and sugar together for about three to five minutes.
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Creaming butter and sugar is the first step for countless cookie recipes. But simply mixing softened butter with granulated sugar or brown sugar until just combined isn’t enough.
It is important to really beat the ingredients for several minutes to create air bubbles in the mixture. The bubbles play a key role once the dough is in the oven creating steam which ultimately results in a great texture.
Proper creaming usually takes between three and five minutes, depending on the mixer. The final product will be pale and fluffy and ready for eggs at room temperature.
Use pure vanilla extract
Most cookie recipes call for vanilla extract, especially chocolate chip sugar cookies.
But the flavor will only be as good as the ingredients you add.
Vanilla extract is used to enhance the flavors of other ingredients and add its own distinctive flavor, so it’s best to stick to a high-quality, pure option. The artificial extract will not achieve the same incredible results.
Pay attention to the cooling time
Not all recipes call for chilling time, but if your dough calls for it, be sure to follow it. It’s a crucial step to prevent cookies from spreading too thin while baking.
Part of what controls the spread is the butter.
At room temperature it is quite soft. Chilling the dough gives the fat time to solidify again, which ultimately takes longer to melt in the oven.
Use a cookie dough scoop
Using the scoop ensures that your cookies end up the same size.
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Do you want cookies that are uniform in size and shape? Use a cookie dough scoop to evenly divide the dough.
They look like mini scoops of ice cream and can be found in various sizes.
Just scoop out the dough, roll it into a ball, and place it on your baking sheet.
Always line your baking sheets
The key to preventing the cookies from sticking is to line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Many recipes suggest greasing the sheet, but that can often affect how the cookies spread. The parchment paper prevents sticking without affecting the dough.
Also, it can be reused multiple times when baking multiple cookie sheets.
Give the cookies some space.
It varies depending on the type of cookie, but each crust will spread as it bakes, even if it’s a minimal amount.
When you’re placing the dough on a baking sheet, give each cookie a 1 1/2 to 2-inch gap to ensure they don’t merge together as they bake.
Keep an eye on your cookies in the oven
Even set to a uniform 350 degrees Fahrenheit, every oven will bake a little differently.
It is important to check the cookies a few minutes before the baking time for the recipe is up.
The cookies are usually done when the edges are lightly browned, which can be several minutes before or after the timer goes off.
For soft cookies, let them finish baking out of the oven.
The cookies can continue to bake for a bit on the hot baking sheet.
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If you’re a fan of soft and chewy cookies, the key is to pull them out at the right time.
Once the edges of the cookies have started to brown, remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on the stovetop.
Allow residual heat from the baking sheet to finish the cookies for two to three minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Source: news.google.com