Baking Hints
1. Use unsalted fat for greasing baking sheets and pans. Check recipe,
as some rich cookies need not be baked on greased sheets.
2. Try to make all cookies in a batch at the same size to insure uniform baking.
3. Bake a test cookie to see if consistency of dough is right. If cookie
spreads more then desired, add 1 to 2 more tsps. flour. If cookie
seems dry or crumbly, add 1 to 1 tsps cream to dough.
4. If baking one sheet of cookies at a time, bake in center of oven.
If baking two sheets, place oven racks so oven is divided in thirds.
5. Look at cookies when minimum baking is up, try not to overbake.
Remove from baking sheet to cooling rack with spatula immediately
because cookies continue to bake until removed from baking sheet.
6. If possible, have a second cool baking sheet ready as cookie dough
spreads on a hot baking sheets.
How To Store Cookies
Store crisp, thin cookies in a container with a loose cover
Store soft cookies in a container with a tight-fitting cover.
How To Freeze Cookies
Baked cookies and cookie dough mat be stored frozen 9 to 12 months.
Pack baked cookies in a rigid box, lining the box and seperating each layer
of cookies with transparent plastic wrap. The clinging quality of the plastic
keeps air from reaching and drying out the cookies. Shape refrigerator
cookie dough in a roll: wrap in foil or transparent plastic wrap. Place
drop or rolled cookie dough in frozen food container or wrap in foil
or transparent plastic wrap.
What causes Dry Cookie Dough?
There are a number of possible causes. Study the list below, then reread
your recipe and you should be able to find the cause.
1. Overmeasurement of flour or dryness of flour. The properties which make
flour a "structure builder" in baking also make it absorb and release moisture from
the air very readily. Flour stored in a warm, dry kitchen absorbs more moisture
(water, milk, or egg) than flour stored in a humid kitchen: thus, it
makes a drier dough.
2. Undermeasurement of shortening or use of chilled shortening. If shortening
(butter, margarine, or soft shortening) is firm, dough will be less
pliable than if shortening is at room temperature.
3. Undermeasurement of liquid or use of small eggs. In some cookie recipes,
eggs are the only source of moisture.
How Can Dry Cookie Dough Be Corrected?
Work 1 or 2 tbsp. soft butter or cream into dough with your hands.
How Can Dry Cookie Dough Be Prevented?
1. Measure all ingredients carefully and accurately, using standard measuring
cups and spoons.
2. Have shortening at room temperature. However, shortening should
not be melted.
What causes Soft Cookie Dough?
A variety of factors may cause soft doughs which are too soft to roll
or spread when baked. They are:
1. Undermeasurement of flour or use of flourthat has been stored when
humidity was high.
2. Overmeasurement of shortening, butter, or margarine or use of extremely
soft or melted shortening.
3. Overmeasurement of liquid or use of extremely large eggs.
4. Dough mixed in a very warm room.
How Can Soft Cookie Dough Be Corrected?
Chill dough until firm enough to handle: then work with it in small portions,
leaving rest of dough in refrigerator until needed. If dough is still soft
after chilling, work in more flour, one tablespoon at a time:
then bake a test cookie.
How Can Soft Cookie Dough Be Prevented?
1. Measure each ingredient accurately and follow mixing directions exactly.
2. Use soft butter, shortening, or margarine: do not use melted shortening.
