How to Bake Holiday Cookies Like A Pro
Does it seem like everyone at the cookie exchange party has a secret life as a pastry chef? Or are you afraid to give your cookies as gifts because they look more like “outtakes” than “stars?” It’s time for you to learn the secrets our pros know to make your cookies look and taste like you bought them from the bakery.
Mixing Mastery
It all starts with the mixing. No matter which recipe you choose, these steps will help ensure consistent, tasty dough.
- Use room temperature butter. (If you forget to set it out to soften, you can microwave it at 10% power for 10 seconds at a time until soft, not melted.)
- Mix the wet ingredients first, then add to the dry ingredients.
- Don’t over mix—it makes the dough tough. Just mix until incorporated.
- Make your dough a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator so it the flavors mingle, and it has time to chill.
Dough Pointers
Whether you’re making cut-out cookies, drop cookies, or slice and bake, the way you treat your dough affects your results.
- If you plan on rolling and cutting them out, make sure recipe is for cut-out cookies.
- Use a cool cookie sheet. Avoid the temptation to use cookie sheets that have been in the oven. Warm cookie sheets can alter the texture of your cookies. Allow pans to cool in between trips to the oven.
- After you cut out shapes, allow the dough chill on the pan in the refrigerator to prevent over spreading as they bake.
- For drop cookies, use a scoop to ensure even amount of dough for each cookie—uniform sized cookies bake more evenly.
- Give about 2 inches of space between cookies on the pan for spreading while baking.
The Baking Buzz
Perfect cookies require more than just a pan and preheated oven. If your cookies are usually too dark or too light, follow these tips.
- Use flat cookie sheets or pans with very low sides as pans with high sides prevent proper browning.
- To ensure evenly baked cookies, when using standard baking modes, bake one sheet at a time. (Want to bake more than one pan? Try using convection bake mode on your oven. The airflow that accompanies the convection setting means that heat circulates evenly around cookie sheets.)
- Dark (well-seasoned) pans may burn or over brown the bottoms of your cookies by absorbing heat; adjust your temp or use a lighter color pan.
- Make sure your oven racks aren’t too close to the bottom. Putting racks in second from bottom position is best for baking.
- Check your cookies at the minimum time to prevent overbaking (i.e., for 8 to 10 minutes, check them at 8 minutes).
Cooling Cues
It’s important to cool your cookies properly to prevent breaking and ensure your icing doesn’t
run. Here are a few more hints for cooling.
- Slightly under bake your cookies as they will continue to cook on the hot pan even out
of the oven. - After cooling slightly, use a thin spatula to gently remove them from the pan.
- Place the cookies in a single layer on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
Icing Info
To make cute designs and patterns on cut-out cookies, it’s all about the icing. It’s best to use either royal icing or our simple cookie glaze recipe so it hardens and doesn’t run off your cookies. Then, remember these tips.
- When making a filled-in design, draw an outline first, then flood in the center with a slightly thinner icing to make it easier to fill the large space.
- Add candies, nuts, and chocolate chips for accents before the icing sets up.
- Allow your cookie icing to set up completely before stacking them or storing them in containers.
Looking for simple and delicious cookie recipes? Check out our collection here