’Tis the season for holiday cookie swaps. Maybe you have a reputation for out-of-this-world sugar cookies. Or perhaps your experience is limited to slice ’n’ bake (guilty). Wherever you fall on the spectrum, these tips from the crew at America’s Test Kitchen will help you come out on top of the swap. Added bonus: They even have the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. (Thanks, science!)
Before You Bake
The key to chewy cookies? Room-temperature ingredients. Why, you ask? It makes everything easier to mix.
If you can’t take out the butter and eggs ahead of time, follow these steps:
1. Cut cold butter into cubes and microwave it on the lowest setting for ten seconds at a time, until softened.
Pro tip: Use unsalted butter whenever you can. The salted variety contains more water, which can lead to mushy cookies.
2. Place eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes until they are about room temperature.
Pro tip: If a recipe calls for two eggs, try using one whole egg and one yolk instead. Eliminating the egg white keeps the cookies from being cakey.
3. To limit processed sugars, consider swapping standard granulated for coconut sugar (just be sure to use 1½ cups coconut sugar for every 1 cup regular). It’s a healthier alternative that doesn’t skimp on sweetness.
4. Finally, whisk the sweetener of your choice into the wet ingredients and let it sit for a few minutes. The sugar granules will dissolve better into the liquid, giving your batter a smoother texture.
When Working the Dough
If you’re going the chocolate chip route, spoon out about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. A larger surface area means golden-brown outer edges with a moist and soft middle (a.k.a. perfection).
Making cookie-cutter treats? Be careful when handling the dough:
1. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes to make it firm and easier to handle.
2. Once chilled, place it on parchment paper. Then cover it with another sheet to keep the dough from sticking to both the table and the rolling pin. Genius, right?
Remember: The more you work your scraps of dough, the tougher the cookie – so do so sparingly.
One Cookie Sheet, or Two?
It’s finally time to pop those babies in the oven. Depending on how big yours is (and how many cookie sheets are at your disposal), you’ll want to keep these tips in mind.
If you’re using a single baking sheet, rotate it 180 degrees during baking to ensure even heat distribution. Oh, and don’t forget to let it cool completely between batches. Otherwise, the added heat will melt the butter and the cookies will spread too quickly. Meaning? The first batch will be thick and chewy, but subsequent batches will turn out thin and crispy.
If you plan on baking more than one batch at once, you’ll need to rotate and swap. About halfway through baking, switch the cookie sheets on the top and bottom racks in addition to rotating. You’ll have perfectly uniform cookies, every time.
The best-case scenario? Have multiple cookie sheets prepped, but only put one in the oven at a time. Your cookies will bake evenly and you won’t have to wait for the sheets to cool between batches.
Plan Ahead
The holidays are busy. Which is why we have zero qualms about doing a little work ahead of time. Dough freezes well, so feel free to make yours in advance – just give it time to thaw before handling. Some formats, like logs, which are sliced, can even be put in the oven while still frozen (just add on a few extra minutes of baking time).
But the greatest hack of all? Flash-freezing your adorable reindeer and snowflakes. After cookie cutting, place the raw dough on a baking sheet and pop it into the freezer to solidify. Then, stack each individual cookie in an airtight container to keep frozen until go-time. Cookie swap: owned.
By Sophie Dodd, Staff Writer
