Sometimes, a person’s sweet tooth gets a craving that only real, homemade cookies fresh out of the oven can satisfy. When this time comes, the only solution available is to bake. This may be a somewhat daunting task to those less familiar with a kitchen setting. After all, nobody wants to put in the effort of making cookies only to have them turn out poorly. So, when the urge to make cookies comes, keep these six things in mind to help them become the delicious treats they were meant to be!
1. Too much sugar makes flat cookies
Whoever first said “you can never have too much of a good thing” obviously never put too much sugar in their cookie dough. Sugar is obviously essential to the flavor of the final product, but it also has a crucial role in determining the structure and appearance of the cookies. Adding too much will produce thin, flat cookies that tend to run together. They still taste delicious, but will not look as appealing. If your first batch comes out flatter than you want, try adding more flour (or chosen flour substitute) to the remaining dough to make the cookies hold their shape better.
2. Use parchment paper (but never wax paper!)
If you’re like me, the worst part about baking is cleaning up the mess afterward. People have been trying to create ways to make the cleanup quicker and easier for a long time, and there are plenty of tricks to expedite the process today. One of the methods I have often seen implemented is putting a layer of parchment paper between the baking sheet and the dough. This ensures the sheet will remain clean, and leave you with one less thing to wash. Just be careful you use parchment paper and not wax paper, however. Parchment paper is able to go in an oven. Wax paper will start on fire, or melt wax into the cookies. In short, wax paper can ruin your day.
3. Baking soda vs. baking powder
Despite their ridiculously similar names, baking soda and baking powder are unfortunately not the same thing. It is one of the most frustrating moments of baking when you are halfway through mixing dough and the oven is preheated, when all of a sudden you realize the recipe calls for baking soda rather than the baking powder you have at your disposal. Since baking powder is made of a mix of baking soda and other ingredients, you can create a substitution of 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon of baking powder (provided the recipe has enough of an acidic ingredient with which the baking soda can react). The reverse is not true, however, and substitutions for baking soda are not recommended. In any case, all of this can be avoided by double checking the recipe before getting supplies.
4. Some spatulas may melt
More often than not, most spatulas are fine to use when manipulating cookie dough. The only time you really need to pause is when a recipe calls for an ingredient to be melted. In the process of following this instruction, it is easy to forget just how hot the ingredients are becoming while melting. It’s easy, that is, until you accidentally leave a plastic spatula too long and the next time you go to stir a half melted glob with a handle awaits you. This ruins both the spatula and the ingredient being melted, so maybe go for a heat resistant spatula if you’re going to be making those particular recipes.
5. Salted butter vs. unsalted butter
Recipes for cookies can often be poorly written, or unclear in their instructions. For example, if a recipe calls for butter, are you supposed to use salted or unsalted butter? Does it really matter? In some ways it does, but the decision of which to choose fully lies with you. It is often unclear which type was intended by the recipe’s creator, and each can have their benefits. Obviously you should use unsalted butter if you’re going for a low-sodium lifestyle, while some people prefer a strong interaction between sweet and salty and would prefer to use salted butter. A notable issue with salted butter is that salt content will vary with brand, so take this into account when making your decision. In the end, it all winds down to preference. It may take a few attempts to determine what is preferred, but that just means more cookies to enjoy!
6. Drop vs. cut-out cookies
Sugar cookies are probably best known for their ability to make fun shapes with cookie cutters for events or holidays. These are generally for special occasions, so it’s important that you find the right recipe to have these cookies turn out the best that they can. While searching, you may notice that some recipes specify they are for drop cookies, while others are for cut-out cookies. As the name implies, cut-out cookies are designed to be shaped with a cookie cutter, but why is there a distinction? As it turns out, despite the fact that both drop and cut-out sugar cookies taste the same, the recipes are slightly different. This gives the cookies different qualities. Cut-out cookies hold their shape better but are more crumbly, while drop cookies round at the edges and tend to be chewier. Knowing the difference can save you some confusion and frustration when trying out a new recipe.
With time and some practice, baking becomes easier. In the meantime, hopefully this list will save you from making frustrating mistakes when your sweet tooth becomes impossible to ignore. Happy baking, and may all your cookies be delicious!