Any cookie tips?

[noranora]

Ok, for the life of me I cannot bake cookies. It doesn't matter if I follow a recipe exactly or just buy a premade dough from the store - my cookies always come out hard and just kinda blah. I really try not to overcook and I really like a soft chewy cookie but I never get that! They always come out crisp and just not that great. Also the other day I made a sort of shortbread strawberries and cream recipe and I followed exactly! They came out just tasting so so and the shortbread was odd, they didn't look at all like the picture in the book. Does anyone have any good tips for me? Thanks!

[Kitchen Witch]

Nora -

I have a complete section on cookie baking in my group - MADE WITH LOVE - at
FoodPals.com

You will see my link which is posted after all my recipes here.

To begin with - every oven is different. Are you baking in gas, electric, or a convection oven? Invest in an oven thermometer - that will give you the correct temperature of your oven - regardless of what your oven dial says. Ovens need to be calibrated from time to time.

Over cooking is a reason - so is not measuring flour correctly and using too much - and so is overworking your dough.

Take a look at my group - check out the recipes as well - and if you need a special recipe or have a question - give me a holler on either site.

Hope to see you there -

KW

[Ruthie72]

Hi

You made me laugh because I cannot bake a cake for the life of me. I've tried and tried but the cakes have fallen. I am cursed.

Anyway, I bake cookies. I have four things I follow religiously, I use butter, jumbo eggs, real vanilla and I use parchment paper to bake most cookies. I've made some not so great cookies but learned from the mistakes and moved on from there. Kitchen Witch is right about getting an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the correct temperature.

Enjoy baking and have fun!!!!

[Kitchen Witch]

Hey Ruthie -

Head over to my group MADE WITH LOVE and check out my section on cakes as well. And I have one for pies, etc.


Hopefully it will help!

KW

[noranora]

lol Ruthie...yes I've had problems with cakes too but for some reason the cookies are just the worst! I just learned about parchment paper, I did use them on the last shortbread try and even though the cookies weren't great, the bottoms looked very nice!!!!
My grandmother was an amazing baker...unfortunately my mother paid no attention when she was in the kitchen and had nothing to pass down or else I could be an amazing baker as well! Darn...i'll just have to learn the hard way

[cookiemom]

Hi Noranora,

I am new to this forum and definitely decided to jump in with this thread. I love cookies, and chocolate chip are my all time favorite!

You are on the right track by using parchment paper. Also, the amount of time the cookie is actually in the oven will make a huge difference as well. It is a natural instinct to want to take the cookie out of the oven when it is golden brown. This is, however, a big mistake. It is actually overcooked by that time.
The cookie needs to rest on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. This allows it to firm up a bit so it will not fall apart. But, it is actually still cooking from the residual heat from the cookie sheet as well. This is ok. The key is to take the cookie out of the oven at the right time so that these "final cooking minutes" won't hurt the cookie. Try this:

Start with the lowest recommended time in the oven that the recipe calls for or even a minute or so less. You can always add time but not take away.

When you check the cookies at the end of the time, see if the edges are brown. JUST the edges, and maybe a bit on the peak of the cookie.

If they are brown but the centers look a bit undercooked, great! Time to come out.

Leave on the cookie sheet until firm (2-3 minutes) and slide over to cooling rack. They should be perfectly cooked. Moist and chewy.

And definitely use the parchment paper. Good luck!