Because the creator of a cookbook devoted completely to cookies, I’ve made a LOT of various sorts of cookies. And I’m comfortable to suggest the instruments I exploit for cookie-baking success to fellow house bakers. This record is a good place to begin when you’re a newbie, are making a registry, or are looking for a present for the cookie monster in your life.
Let’s Speak Cookies
On the coronary heart and soul of my baking profession, I’m a cookie aficionado. I’ve 250+ cookie recipes on my web site, plus a cookbook with 75 cookie recipes, plus about 15 cookie recipes printed in my first cookbook. I additionally publish a cookie countdown annually known as Sally’s Cookie Palooza.
Between testing all of those recipes, plus making them for my very own common enjoyment and the enjoyment of others, I’ve made tens of 1000’s of batches of cookies. And that’s no exaggeration!
With all of this observe (together with recipe fails!), I’ve discovered which instruments are the BEST for baking cookies. I don’t find out about you, however I keep away from overloading my kitchen with pointless devices, so this record consists of absolutely the necessities—the instruments you want to assist assure cookie success.
Like a batch of chocolate chip cookies…
Earlier than we get there, let’s evaluation my prime cookie baking success ideas:
Cookie Baking Success Ideas
- Chill the cookie dough. If the cookie dough is especially sticky, moist, or greasy, chilling is in its—and your personal!—greatest curiosity. Chilling cookie dough helps stop spreading. The colder the dough, the much less the cookies are prone to over-spread into greasy puddles.
- Temperature is vital. Except you routinely calibrate your oven, its temperature might be inaccurate. Get an oven thermometer. They’re often cheap and can prevent the headache of questioning why your cookie bake time is off. Likewise, ensure your substances are room temperature. And right here’s a shortcut to softening butter rapidly.
- Ditch the required baking time. Consider the bake time in a cookie recipe as a common guideline, and use your eyes (and oven mild!) to examine them ceaselessly. Sometimes, the cookies are achieved when the perimeters are set and really calmly browned.
- One batch at a time. You get one of the best outcomes when the oven concentrates on a single batch of cookies. If you want to bake a couple of batch at a time, rotate the baking sheets from the highest rack to the underside rack a few occasions to encourage even browning.
Even Extra Cookie Baking Ideas:
10 Greatest Cookie Baking Instruments
The entire baking instruments in right this moment’s record are objects I personal. None of this submit is sponsored—actually simply objects I like and am comfortable to suggest to fellow house bakers. Lots of these hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks.
1. HALF SHEET PANS
What I personal and love: Nordic Ware Half Sheet Pan and USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan.
Amount beneficial: no less than 2.
In the beginning, high quality cookie sheets are a MUST. Do you know the colour and materials of your cookie sheets drastically impacts the way in which your cookies prove? Darkish steel sheets can simply over-bake cookies, and skinny, flimsy cookie sheets can lead to burnt cookie bottoms.
Each of those manufacturers are glorious high quality and have stood the check of time with frequent use. The 12×17-inch dimension is ideal for a dozen cookies, and the rimmed edges make these pans nice for different recipes like toffee, caramel corn, sheet desserts, cake rolls, and slab pies. Touring with a sheet cake or cookies? Or simply need to hold issues recent? Get the half sheet pan with a lid!
Bakers’ Tip: By no means place cookie dough on a scorching baking sheet. It’s greatest to personal a couple of cookie sheets so that you at all times have a room-temperature sheet readily available to your subsequent batch. In any other case, it’s a must to await the baking sheet to chill down earlier than putting extra cookie dough on it.
2. SILICONE BAKING MATS
What I personal and love: Silpat Premium Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat.
Amount beneficial: no less than 2.
Baking mats are my favourite cookie-baking software. Coating your baking sheet with nonstick spray or butter creates an excessively greasy basis, which causes the cookies to over-spread. I at all times suggest a silicone baking mat (11×16-inch dimension to suit your half sheet pans) as a result of they grip onto the underside of your cookies, stopping the cookies from spreading an excessive amount of. These mats additionally promote even browning. They’re reusable, dishwasher pleasant, and excellent for roasting veggies, meats, fish, potatoes, and so forth.
I additionally like these parchment paper sheets, that are already reduce to dimension.
3. COOKIE SCOOPS
What I personal and love: OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoops.
Amount beneficial: I’ve a set of three sizes, however when you simply need one, the medium dimension cookie scoop is the one I exploit most for making cookies.
Cookie scoops are extraordinarily useful. They assist hold your drop cookies uniform in dimension and form; a straightforward squeeze of the deal with cleanly releases the sticky dough ball; plus, they’ve so many different makes use of! I exploit the big dimension (3 Tablespoons) cookie scoop for cupcake/muffin and pancake batter, ice cream, meatballs, and even for serving mashed potatoes. I exploit the medium dimension (1.5 Tablespoons) for many cookies—significantly textured oatmeal raisin cookies and sticky coconut macaroons. And I exploit the small dimension (1 Tablespoon) for truffles, smaller cookies like these peanut butter cookies, and as a melon baller.
4. COOLING RACKS
What I personal and love: Wilton Excellent Outcomes Cooling Rack and Extremely Delicacies Wire Cooling Racks
Amount beneficial: At the very least 2
I usually enable my baked cookies to chill for five minutes on the cookie sheets as soon as I take away them from the oven. Nevertheless, I instantly switch them to a cooling rack after that. Why? The bottoms of the cookies want some air in an effort to cool, and we need to keep away from soggy cookie bottoms. I personal a couple of of these cooling racks. They’re cheap, get the job achieved, and have lasted me years.
5. STAND MIXER
What I personal and love: KitchenAid Extremely Energy Plus 4.5qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer.
Amount beneficial: 1
A stand mixer is a should when you bake cookies on the common. I actually just like the 4.5-quart dimension for many baking recipes. You may actually get away with a hand mixer as a substitute (right here’s the hand mixer I personal and love), however a stand mixer makes the job simpler and is further versatile since you need to use various attachments with it. Once I’m working with an infinite quantity of dough/batter or making one thing that requires a number of minutes of blending (old style fudge, whipped cream or egg whites, bread dough, and so forth.) a stand mixer is value its weight in gold.
6. QUALITY MEASURING CUPS + A DIGITAL FOOD SCALE
What I personal and love: OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Measuring Cups and Ifuerte Stainless Metal Measuring Cups + Spoons and OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Metal Meals Scale.
Amount beneficial: 1 set of measuring cups + 1 meals scale
I like this set of measuring cups due to the smooth easy-grip handles and high quality stainless-steel. I additionally love this set of measuring cups for a similar causes, and the truth that it features a 1/8-cup measuring cup. (Which is uncommon in units. 1/8 cup = 2 Tablespoons, a measurement used very often. Very handy!)
For extra correct measuring, undoubtedly choose up a meals scale. This OXO meals scale is the one I exploit. A gram is at all times a gram. An oz is at all times an oz.. A cup is NOT at all times a cup, and due to this fact weighing is probably the most correct option to measure. My crew and I embody weight measurements in all my recipes.
7. ROLLING PIN
What I personal and love: J.Okay. Adams Maple Wooden Medium Connoisseur Rolling Pin.
Amount beneficial: 1
A rolling pin is a must have for formed cut-out cookies. Rolling pins differ in worth, however the one I’ve is fairly cheap and has lasted me for years, with very frequent use. I extremely suggest it.
8. STURDY COOKIE CUTTERS
What I personal and love:
It’s possible you’ll love all of the whimsically cute shapes, however be sure you’re shopping for high quality cookie cutters. By that I imply cookie cutters which are sturdy, sturdy, and have sharp edges to provide you a clear reduce.
My must-haves embody a set of spherical cookie cutters—I exploit them for peppermint bark cookies, striped fudge cookies, do-it-yourself skinny mint cookies, and extra. For a wide range of enjoyable and seasonal shapes, just about something from Ann Clark’s assortment is implausible for sugar cookies.
9. SILICONE SPATULAS
What I personal and love: Starpack Fundamentals Silicone Spatula Set and Williams Sonoma Silicone Spatulas.
Amount beneficial: no less than 2
Spatulas are important in any kitchen, particularly if they’re well-made and heavy responsibility. I personal a lot, however my favorites and most-used are these silicone spatulas and these Williams Sonoma spatulas. From stirring and mixing, to scraping the perimeters of bowls, spreading frosting, cooking, and so forth.—I exploit them for all the things, on a regular basis. And spatulas with cute sayings make a enjoyable present!
10. COOKIE CARRIER
What I personal and love: Goal Made by Design Rectangle Cupcake Provider and Snapware Snap’n’Stack Transportable Storage Provider With Lid for Desserts.
Amount beneficial: 1
Taking your cookies past the kitchen? Whether or not your batch is for a celebration, bake sale, or toting alongside to work, you want a case that can safely transport your cookies. I like this cupcake provider. I exploit it for cupcakes, after all, however I additionally use it for cookies. Right here’s my trick: I flip the tray and easily pile the cookies inside. I like this cupcake and cookie provider, too—it’s bigger and shops extra.
Now let’s bake some cookies!
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