10 Secrets to Baking Perfect Cookies

Gourmandize

Who doesn’t love freshly baked cookies? They’re so easy to make at home, and the contrast between the crunchy outside and gooey center is simply irresistible. The only drawback: they taste their best on the day they’re made. 

But who are we kidding, that’s not really a problem.

Here are the 10 best-kept secrets to baking amazing homemade cookies. But don’t worry, you don’t need to keep these secrets to yourself!

Use softened, high quality butter

Take the butter out of the fridge a few hours before you start baking. And don’t cheat by putting it in the microwave! The butter is supposed to be softened, not melted. Why? Because melted butter won’t give you that lovely chewy texture that you want your cookies to have, whereas softened butter will.

Also make sure to choose high quality butter, which means butter with a high fat content (minimum 80-82%). If you can find lightly salted butter, then that’s even better.

Opt for unprocessed, raw cane or muscovado sugar

You can find it in any organic food store or in the fair-trade section of your local supermarket. Not only is it healthier, but this type of sugar gives cookies a rich flavor and soft texture.

Use high quality chocolate chips (or chunks)

Forget those old, dried chocolate chips that have been sitting at the back of your cupboard for the past few months. Instead, break out the good stuff. Use good quality, large chocolate chips or chunks because they take longer to melt. Or you can just take a bar of chocolate and cut it into smallish pieces for homemade chunks.

Dont over-mix cookie dough!

Making cookie dough is not the same thing as making cake batter. Cookies need to have a more rustic texture, so the last thing you want to do is over-mix your batter. Resist the temptation to cream the butter and sugar for several minutes. Instead, mix all the dry ingredients together with a fork, and then blend with the wet ingredients until the flour is fully is incorporated and you can’t see it anymore. That’s it!

Cookie dough likes the cold

Cookies taste significantly better when the dough has been chilled prior to baking. Ideally, you should prepare the dough the day before and then let it rest in the fridge overnight. All you need to do is roll the dough into small balls, place on a baking sheet and refrigerate. Cookie dough can also be frozen by following the same process and sticking the baking sheet in the freezer instead. You can even bake frozen cookie dough; simply transfer the dough balls onto a baking sheet and put in a preheated oven.  All you need to do is increase the baking time by a minute or two.

The ice cream scoop is your best friend

Ice cream scoops are the perfect utensil to transfer cookie dough from a bowl to a baking sheet, hassle free. It makes for rustic looking cookies that are all the same size, which is vital in order for them to cook evenly.

You can even use an ice cream scoop to fill a muffin tin with batter. Think about it!

don't butter your cookie sheet!

Buttering a cookie or baking sheet is not only useless, but it also means that your cookies will spread out and become thin and flat while baking. It’s better to use a non-stick baking sheet or one that’s been covered with wax paper. Also, you should never flatten your cookie dough with a spatula once you’ve transferred it to the baking sheet. If you do, then you’ll lose that delicious contrast between crunchy sides and a gooey center. So don’t touch that cookie dough!

Watch the baking time, and cool them on a grilling rack

The secret to delicious cookies is taking them out of the oven while they’re still soft, with edges that are lightly golden. Once you take them out, let them rest for 30 seconds to a minute, then use a spatula to remove them from the baking sheet and place them on a grilling rack to cool. If you don’t, then they’ll continue to cook on the hot sheet.

Photo credit : Pascale Weeks

EAt the cookies on the day that you bake them

We promise that cookies taste best on the day that you bake them! If you’re making cookies to take to work or a friend’s house, then the best thing to do is make the cookie dough the night before and pop them in the oven right before you leave. You can transport them easily in a metal box lined with wax paper or a pretty paper napkin.

Now that you know how to make amazing cookies, why don’t you check out these delicious cookie recipes? We happen to love this one and this one.

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