We all have our favorite good cookie: A crispy biscotti! A soft chocolate chip! A flavorful jam thumbprint! Just like us, cookies have their own extra special features. Keep on reading to understand the in’s and out’s.
I love, LOVE cookies! And, who doesn’t? A classic chocolate chip cookie with a tall glass of milk, or perhaps a spiced gingerbread man in the snowy winter, or even an almond shortbread on a sunny afternoon.
Whatever your favorite type of cookie is, you want to know how to make it PERFECT and your way. What your preference on your type of cookie does not matter. What matters is how to make it correctly. Read more to find out what ingredients make a cookie have its characteristics.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD COOKIE
CRISP COOKIES | Tuile cookies, which are very fine and delicate, and shortbread cookies
-Low moisture/liquids (like eggs)
-High sugar and fat
-Longer baking time
-Small size
SOFT COOKIES | Opposite of a “crisp” cookie, like a standard chocolate chip cookie
-High liquid
-Low sugar and fat
-Contains a hygroscopic sugar (“absorb moisture” type of sugar), such as honey, molasses, and corn syrup.
-Low bake time
-Large size
CHEWINESS | Like a classic oatmeal raisin cookie
-High sugar and liquid
-Low fat
-High egg content
-Strong gluten (flour/dry goods) development
SPREAD & LARGE SIZE | Those super jumbo cookies
-High sugar content
-High baking soda content
-Creaming the fat and sugar for a long period of time
-High liquid content
-Strong gluten flours (like bread flour)
COOKIE RECIPES
Craving to start baking? Check out my cookie recipes
- Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cream Cheese Cookies for Cut-Outs
- Peanut butter, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie
- Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
Need some vegan and other special cookie recipes? Check these out
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies by Baker By Nature
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies by My Gluten Free Kitchen
- Gluten Free Vanilla Biscotti by King Author Baking
HOW TO MAKE GOOD COOKIES
Just like any other skill, it takes time, dedication and practice. Keep a log or dairy about the cookie recipes you bake and any notes. Did it come out too burnt? Or was the dough too soft?
I keep all my recipes digitally in my Google Drive. I don’t lose ’em and Google is free. Use whatever storage method you wish: paper, digital, or notepad.
ALWAYS bake what you like. Chocolate chip? Go for ’em! Peanut butter fan? Bake it! Crispy biscotti? Let’s do it! That way you will be more engage.
