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356 C O O K I E S , B A R S , A N D B R O W N I E S

Some Cookie Baking Tips

(or ,what your mother never told you and

you had to learn on your own ...)

• Cookie dough needs to just pull in the refrigerator for 5 minutes so the
together. Unlike cake batters, it doesn’t cookie shapes can set. This is especially
need beating. important when baking in a hot
kitchen.
• Cookie dough can be made, covered
with plastic wrap, and chilled for up to • Shiny aluminum pans will trigger
1 day in advance of baking. browning and crispness on the bottom
of a cookie. And this adds to a cookie’s
• Cookie dough can be frozen in a sturdy
flavor. Insulated pans, on the other
plastic container for up to 2 months.
hand, prevent browning.
Let it thaw in the refrigerator, then
bring it to room temperature. • Don’t let cookies rest on the sheet for
more than 1 minute after they have
• Line cookie sheets with parchment
been pulled from the oven. They will
paper or special baking liners, such as
continue to cook on the hot surface,
the Silpat liner, for easy removal and
and the longer they remain, the more
cleanup.
difficult they are to remove.
• Drop cookie dough onto cold baking
sheets using a soupspoon or, for larger • Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies
cookies, using a small ice cream scoop. to a wire rack to cool.

• If the cookie sheets are warm, let them • Store cooled cookies in airtight metal
cool on the counter or under cold tins if you want them to stay crisp, or
running water before dropping dough in plastic containers if you want them
onto them. to stay soft and chewy.

• Rolled cookies should be placed on cold • Cooled baked cookies may also be frozen
baking sheets and then, ideally, placed in zipper-lock bags for up to 6 months.