So many of us love those little morsels we call cookies! Have you ever made a batch that flopped? Did they spread as wide as the State you live in? Did they burn to a crisp? I have some tips for you to help you bake up the perfect batch. I will also include a basic recipe that you can transform into a sweet treat that your family will adore.
- Be sure to always pre-heat your oven. If the oven is not hot enough it will have an adverse reaction on the cookies, specifically in their bake time.
- Always add your unbaked cookie dough to a cool sheet. If the sheet is too hot, this can cause them to spread out.
- Place cookie sheets at least 2 inches from the oven wall. If the sheets touch the oven walls, it can cause the cookies to burn.
- Check your cookies 2 minutes before the recommended baking time is up. Ovens do vary, so its good to check the first batch in the event your oven cooks slower or faster than the oven the recipe was tested in.
- Drop cookies generally bake for 8-10 minutes at an oven temperature of 375*.
- Bar cookies generally bake for 25-30 minutes at an oven temperature of 375*.
- Dessert Pizza’s (10-12 inch circular pan) generally cook for 10-15 minutes at 375*.
- Baking times will vary, depending on what type of cookie you are baking. If you are making a Snickerdoodle drop cookie, it will bake faster than a dense chocolate chip cookie.
- Also keep in mind, when you are baking a moist and chewy cookie, you do not want to over bake them to where they get hard. Generally, if you are making a chewy cookie, you will remove them from the oven when they look slightly undercooked. They will continue cooking just a bit after they are placed on a rack to cool.
Basic Cookie Recipe
- ½ package of cake mix
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup shortening
- 2 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 350*.
Blend all ingredients in a large bowl.
Drop onto cookie sheet, by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 minutes.
For this basic cookie recipe, you can get creative and add more ingredients to create your own masterpiece!
Here are some ideas:
Use different flavored cake mixes
Chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
White chocolate chips
Cinnamon chips
Andes mint chips
Andes peppermint chips
Nuts
Shredded coconut
Toffee chips
Crushed up candy bars
Instant coffee granules
Powdered coffee creamer, flavored
Candy Canes, crushed
Dried fruit
Sprinkles
You can mix and match add-ins to create something special.
I would start with ½ cup of each add-in you choose. You can always add more if you desire.
Icing:
- Powdered sugar
- Water
Combine your sugar with just enough water to make it thick yet spreadable.
Spread over cookies.
Get creative with your icing too!
You can add:
Juice in place of the water (orange, apple, etc.)
Milk in place of the water (for more creaminess)
Food coloring
Lemon or limejuice
Spices, (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, etc.)
Sprinkles, nuts or dried fruit over the top of the icing
Related Recipes:
No bake chocolate chip cookies
Comments
To think that the reason I don't bake "homemade" cookies is because I never have all of the needed ingredients, now is not a good excuse. Thanks for the tip on using a box of cake mix!!!
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