| Making cookies seems like an easy task: mix a few | | | | step is to make sure you allow your oven to heat at |
| ingredients, pop them into the oven, and presto! | | | | least 20 minutes before putting in the first batch of |
| Fresh, homemade cookies. But, if baking cookies are | | | | cookies. Your oven may say it's heated to the |
| so easy, why do your cookies crumble with the | | | | correct temperature, but that doesn't necessarily |
| slightest touch, why are they so hard you could | | | | mean that the center of the oven has reached that |
| break a tooth, why are they always burnt on the | | | | temperature. Make sure to also place your cookie |
| bottom? Despite how frustrating these problems are, | | | | sheets in the middle of the oven, not too close to |
| they are actually easily prevented. | | | | any of the sides. This will help the heat bake the |
| One of the most common cookie complaints is dry | | | | cookies evenly across your sheets. |
| dough, which usually leads to either crumbly cookies | | | | To prevent browning or burning on the bottom of |
| or cookies that are hard and tough. To prevent this, | | | | your cookies, do not use a dark-colored cookie |
| avoid adding any more flour than the recipe calls for. | | | | sheet. Instead use a heavy-gauge sheet with a dull |
| This means measuring out your flour carefully, by | | | | finish. Aluminum is usually a very good choice. |
| either the dipping or sifting methods. I prefer the | | | | Do not allow the cookies to bake more than the time |
| dipping method, since it negates the need for a sifter | | | | recommended by the recipe. Check the cookies at |
| and usually gives you a better measurement. | | | | the minimum bake time. If they are not done, then |
| To measure by dipping, simply dip the proper sized | | | | allow them to bake up to the high end of the |
| measuring cup into your flour container. Level off | | | | recommended time range. Do not allow the cookies |
| flour with a straight-edged knife or flat spatula. Do | | | | to go beyond a lightly golden color. Also, don't leave |
| not tap the measuring cup or try to pack more flour | | | | small cookies cooling too long on a cookie sheet after |
| into the cup! You want to pack the brown sugar, not | | | | they come out of the oven. The bottom of cookies |
| the flour. | | | | will continue to cook on the hot cookie sheet. |
| If you are making cookies with cookie cutters, you | | | | Remove the cookies to a cooling cake as soon as |
| will need to roll out your dough before cutting. | | | | possible. |
| Recipes usually call for a lightly floured surface to roll | | | | If your cookies are still baking unevenly or burning |
| the dough out. However, this will add a little more | | | | despite these measures, place an oven thermometer |
| flour to your dough, which will only contribute to dry, | | | | in the center of your oven while the oven if on. |
| crumbly or hard cookies. Instead of using flour, use a | | | | After 30 to 40 minutes, check that the thermometer |
| light dusting of confectioners' sugar to coat the | | | | reads the same temperature that the oven dial does. |
| surface and your rolling pin. This will add a slight | | | | If they are not in agreement, then adjust your |
| sweetness to your cookie, rather than drying the | | | | oven's temperature either up or down accordingly. |
| dough further. | | | | These simple actions will help you bake the perfect |
| Another common problem is cookies that bake | | | | cookie that not only tastes good, but also looks |
| unevenly. This problem is usually caused by one of | | | | good. Your friends and family will think a professional |
| two things, both of which are easily fixed. The first | | | | baked them! |