Cookies and Bars
Cookies, cookies, and more cookies!
Do you have a favorite cookie? Chocolate chip cookies are always on the list of the most searched cookie recipe. Baking cookies is one of my favorite things to do-- do you feel the same?
Let me help you dive into my cookie recipes with a few baking tips:
- Always preheat the oven. I always give the oven an extra ten minutes once it has reached its baking temperature.
- Bake on a high quality baking tray. Cover it with parchment paper for nearly all types of cookies. (Spritz cookies are an exception-- they bake best directly on a baking tray.)
- Rotate your cookies half way through the baking time.
- Cool your cookies on wire baking racks.
Cookie Dough
When you are mixing cookie dough, use your stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Try this tip to check that your KitchenAid mixer has the proper clearance between the paddle and the bowl.
Most cookie recipes benefit from this dough mixing process:
- Beat the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and other flavorings.
- Separately sift together your dry ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, and any spices.
- Fold in any extras like chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until the dough is just barely mixed. Don't over do it! It's ok to see a little bit of flour still.
- Scoop small balls of dough and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet. It often helps to refrigerate the dough before baking to reduce the spread of cookies during baking.
Dessert Bars and Squares
Baking dessert bars and squares are a great way to feed a crowd. This type of dessert is most often baked in a 9 by 13 pan or an 8 by 8 pan. Once baked and cooled, dessert bars are sliced into squares or bars and served.
Dessert bar recipes can be layered desserts, fruit based desserts, cheesecake desserts, brownies or blondies just to name a few.
