About Cookies
Where do cookies hale from? Attributed to the Dutch “cookie” means “little cakes”
What does each ingredient do? Flour—forms the structure of the cookie Egg—binds ingredients together and adds flavor Fat—creates the texture and aids in consistency of flavor Sugar—flavor and color (browning) Spices and flavoring extracts—add flavor Leavening ingredients—add “lift” to the cookies
Types of Cookies It may seem that there are hundreds of different kinds of cookies, but really there are only six basic types: –Bar –Drop –Pressed –Molded –Rolled –Refrigerator
Bar cookies: Baked in a square or rectangular pan and cut into bars, squares, or diamonds; Made from a batter or a soft dough that is pressed into the pan; Textures vary from cake-like to chewy; Usually cooled in pan and then cut; Brownies are a popular example.
Drop Cookies Made from a soft dough that is dropped onto a cookie sheet; Dough spreads during baking to make a thick cookie, so allowing space for cookies to spread without touching is important; Most chocolate chop cookies are drop cookies
Pressed cookies Made by pushing the cookies through a cookie press, which can make the cookies different shapes; Spritz cookies are made this way.
Molded Cookies Formed by shaping the dough in your hands Can be rolled in toppings before baking, or flattened with a fork or the bottom of a glass; Peanut butter cookies are examples of these.
Rolled cookies Made from a stiff dough; Rolled out with a rolling pin and cut into shapes before baking; Gingerbread cookies are examples of this type of cookie.
Refrigerator cookies Made by forming a soft dough into a long roll and refrigerating it; When chilled and firm, cookies are sliced and baked; Dough keeps for several days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Guidelines for making great cookies Make cookies the same shape and thickness so they bake evenly; Start baking cookies on a cold cookie sheet; Bake in a preheated oven; Prepare pan according to the recipe instructions; Avoid overbaking cookies