Stir up your flour
before measuring- To help avoid over packing flour when you measure it, you
want to make sure your flour is light and fluffy. Take a scoop or spoon and
fluff it up, then measure it.
Use the “scoop and
sweep” method- Scoop the flour lightly into the measuring cup, preferably
with another container or spoon, then sweep it level with a knife. Never pack
down the flour. You’ll end up with more flour than you need.
Use unsalted butter- The
amount of salt used in salted butter is unpredictable, varying from brand to
brand. Some brands may actually contain too much salt for certain recipes and
some brands may not have enough. You’re better off using unsalted and letting
the recipe’s intended flavors shine.
Don’t leave out the
salt- Don’t try to avoid the salt in a recipe, even if it
calls for just a pinch. Salt serves an important purpose. It helps enhance
many other flavors in a recipe and gives baked goods a deeper, less
“floury” flavor.
Keep baking pans in
the center of the oven- Heat radiates off of oven walls, which can
cause anything near them to bake faster. When possible, place your baking pans
in the center of your oven away from the walls. That way you don’t end of with
half burnt cookies!
Check your baking
sheets- If you’re having trouble with uneven baking, it could be your pans.
Old stained pans with blackened baked-on stuff will radiate heat
unevenly and cause your cookies to all cook differently.
Use a silicone mat- If
your cookies brown too quickly on the bottom, place a silicone mat or
piece of parchment paper on your baking sheet. Both will act as insulators,
slowing heat conduction. This also makes removal of the cookies and clean up
much easier.
Don’t wait for
cookies to be perfect in the over- Remove your cookies or baked goods from
the oven just before they look perfectly done. When anything is taken out of
the oven, it will continue to cook until they reach room
temperature.
Chill cookie dough- Do
your cookies always spread flat or having a hard time rolling out dough? When you chill your dough, it helps prevent
cookies from spreading and makes it much easier to work with. And be sure your baking sheets are cool to
the touch and not hot out of the oven.
Hope these tips help you in your baking journey! As always happy Baking!
