10 Easy Tricks You Can Do to Make Your Cookies Look Professional
Updated: May 25, 2023Whether crunchy or chewy, there are ways to make that cookie taste just right!
Use butter, stick margarine (with at least 80% oil) or shortening.
Whipped, tub, soft, liquid or reduced-fat products contain air and water and will produce flat, tough, under-browned cookies.
Try this tip with the 40+ cookie recipes that deserve a place in your collection.
Avoid overmixing the dough.
If it’s handled too much, the cookies will be tough. On that note, here’s how to avoid flat, pancake-thin cookies.
Use heavy-gauge dull aluminum baking sheets
With one or two low sides. When a recipe calls for greased baking sheets, use shortening or nonstick cooking spray. Dark finishes may cause the cookies to become overly browned. Here’s the best sheet pan for baking cookies, according to our Test Kitchen.
Place cookie dough 2 to 3 in. apart
Unless the recipe states otherwise, place cookie dough 2 to 3 in. apart on a cool baking sheet. Don’t make these 12 mistakes when baking your next batch of cookies.
Leave at least 2 in. around the baking sheet and the oven walls
For good heat circulation. For best results, bake only one sheet of cookies at a time. If you need to bake two sheets at once, switch the position of the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. This is the best position for your oven rack when baking cookies.
Check the cookies when the minimum baking time has been reached
Bake longer if needed. Follow doneness tests given in individual recipes. There’s no need to keep an eye on the clock with these cute kitchen timers.
