Follow These Easy Tips To Make Next Level Cookies

There's no better way to end a meal than with your favorite cookie.  Don't try to convince me otherwise, because I can't be convinced.

Here at Food Fanatic we gladly celebrate all things sweet, with beloved cookie recipes ranging from lemon sugar cookies to gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

I learned how to truly bake in a cold, damp college apartment, finding solace in the precise measuring and leveling it took to make a delicious cakes.

From there it was on to mastering every kind of cookie I could from potato chip cookies to 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies.

For some people, desserts and baking can be entirely daunting and I can understand why!

That's precisely why I'm sharing a few tried and true, easy tips to make your next batch of cookies a sweet success.

Chilling Cookie Dough

Whilst bigger may sometimes be better when it comes to cookies, many cookie recipes are actually intended to be smaller and more delicate.

These pretty and dainty soft frosted sugar cookies are a good example.

Have you ever attempted to make these or other bite-sized cookies and realized while baking that your dough has spread?

If so, then you may have just bypassed an important step in the recipe - chilling cookie dough before baking!

While nearly every cookie recipe call for you to chill the dough, we have all been guilty of skipping this step.

Honestly, who wants to spend the extra time waiting on dough to chill?

Did you know that this step is actually crucial in preventing cookies from spreading while they bake! Yup. I was surprised to learn this, too.

After you have chilled your dough, allow it to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before handling. This will allow it to loosen up. 

Once you have prepared your baking sheets, preheat the oven then place the sheet of prepared cookies into the fridge for 10 minutes.

Bake your prepared cookie dough chilled right from the oven. You'll find you love the flavor and texture of your favorite cookies even more!

Use a Silicone Baking Mat for Baking Cookies

Another great tip to help prevent spreading while you bake is to use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

You should also avoid covering a baking sheet in butter or non-stick spray, as the chances of spreading are much higher.

Flat cookies that have spread out more than intended bake unevenly, have a less pleasing texutre and are much more likely to burn. 

That's actually another reason we recommend using a silicone baking mat when baking cookies!

A silicone baking mat allows for more even baking by creating a nice, even surface. Additionally, the embedded fiberglass grid doesn't retain heat.

This combination results in fewer burnt cookies, insteading producing cookies with nicely browned bottoms and excellent texture.

Use An Over Thermometer

If you’re giving our fluffernutter cookie sandwiches a whirl, or another sandwich cookie, you are going to want to ensure the base and the tops are uniform in size and color.

The best way to do this is by controlling temperatures! For many cookie recipes, this begins by bringing your ingredients to room temperature, which allows for the dough to emulsify easily.

This helps create the consistent texture and structure that is required for sandwich cookies in particular, but we follow this tip with all cookies.

We suggest having your eggs and butter out for about an hour prior to preparing your cookie dough. 

Although it may seem obvious, the oven temperature is also very important, which is why all recipes specify a temperature for baking.

Yet many people don’t actually know if their ovens are running at the temperatures at which the dial is set!

Your recipe may call for you to bake at 325° Fahrenheit, but an uncalibrated oven could be running at 300° or 350°. 

The differences in temperatures can result in cookies that spread, cookies that may be under-baked in the center, cookies that are over-baked, or unevenly baked! 

The best tool you can invest in to help you bake to perfection is an oven thermometer. Trust me on this one.

An oven thermometer is a simple kitchen tool that's very inexpensive and it will ensure you are baking your cookies at exactly the temperature.

Don't Bake Cookies for Too Long

For the best cookies going, it's important to bake cookies properly which means not baking them for too long.

If you bake cookies for too long they'll get overly crunchy, spoiling the intended texture and oftentimes the flavor, too.

Cookies are done when the edges are firm and lightly browned. Depending on how soft the cookie should be, the centers may look under-baked.

Pull the cookies out of the oven when the edges are done. They'll continue cooking for a few minutes after they come out of the oven resulting in the perfect cookie.

Many cookie recipes call for you to transfer them to a wire cooking rack after they've been out of the oven for a few minutes.

This helps the cookies to cool quicker by removing them from the hot pan and allowing the air to circulate around all sides of the cooling.

This stops the baking process, resulting in perfectly baked cookies every time. 

Planning a dinner party and need some inspiration?

How about looking for a new slow cooker dinner idea?

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We’re chatting cooking techniques, dessert ideas, and everything in between. If you’re already a member, invite your friends to join us too!