1. Cakes & Cookies

2. CONVENTIONAL or STANDARD Mixing Method
Measure all ingredients accurately.
Cream fat and sugar together (resembles whipped cream).
Beat in eggs usually ONE AT A TIME.
SIFT dry ingredients together.
Add the dry ingredients and liquid ALTERNATELY to the creamed mixture. Begin and end with the DRY ingredients.
Mix until well-blended (NOT incorporating air, just mixing!)

3. What’s the difference?
Cookies and cakes use very similar ingredients and proportions.
The main difference is that COOKIES have very little LIQUID
Gives them a more substantial texture

4. Six Major Groups of Cookies:
ROLLED cookies
DROP cookies
BAR cookies
REFRIGERATOR cookies
MOLDED cookies
PRESSED cookies

5. ROLLED COOKIES Use a stiff dough
Roll out the dough and cut with cookie cutters
EX: sugar cookies
*Rolled cookies are easier to roll and shape if the dough is CHILLED before ROLLING!

6. EX: Chocolate Chip Cookies
DROP COOKIES
Made with a soft dough
Leave 2” between cookies to allow for SPREADING while cooking
Should be UNIFORM in size so cookies bake evenly
EX: Chocolate Chip Cookies

7. BAR COOKIES Use a soft dough
Dough is spread into a pan (maybe 9x13), baked, and then sliced
EX: Brownies
Rice Krispie Treats

8. EX: icebox cookies, any slice-and-bake premade cookies
REFRIGERATOR COOKIES
Also known as ICEBOX cookies
Contain a high proportion of fat
Dough is shaped into a long roll, refrigerated for several days, sliced, and baked
Is SOFT before it’s chilled!
EX: icebox cookies, any slice-and-bake premade cookies

9. MOLDED COOKIES The dough is shaped with the hands or fingers
Usually flattened with a fork or glass before baking
EX: peanut butter cookies

10. PRESSED COOKIES
A very rich, stiff dough that is packed into a cookie press
A cookie press has perforated disks through which the dough is pushed through onto cookie sheets

11. Choices, choices… Butter vs. Margarine? What kind of baking sheet?
Greased or ungreased?
How many sheets at a time?
How long do they bake?
How much time in between batches?

12. BUTTER vs. MARGARINE
Butter adds a sweet, delicate, rich flavor to cookies!
Use butter if possible for baking cookies unless the recipe specifies otherwise
Unsalted butter is the preferred choice
Salted butter can be used, but it’s difficult to control the amt. of salt in the recipe if used

13. What kind of baking sheet?
Shiny aluminum is best!
Promotes even browning and a light brown crust
Dark finishes absorb heat quicker and may cause the cookies to over-brown
The baking sheet should have low sides, or no sides!  
Baking sheets with a cushion of air between 2 layers are desirable as they help prevent over browning

14. Greased or ungreased?
When a recipe calls for a greased baking sheet, lightly grease with vegetable shortening or a nonstick cooking spray
An alternative to greasing is to cover the baking sheet with either parchment paper or a non-stick baking pad
eliminate adding extra fat to the cookies,
and also make cleaning the baking sheet easier!
When a recipe states to use an ungreased baking sheet, the cookies can be placed directly on the baking sheet
they should not stick after they are baked!

15. How many sheets at a time?
Cookies bake better if you bake just one sheet of cookies at a time!
If the cookies are baking unevenly, try rotating the baking sheet 180 degrees half way through the baking time
If you need to bake two sheets at a time, reverse the position of the sheets half way through the baking time, and rotate each 180 degrees

16. How long do they bake? Bake the Minimum Time!
Check for doneness at the minimum time length stated in a recipe, then bake a little longer if needed
Cookies can easily overbake; watch for visual clues for doneness such as brown edges
Baking times given in a recipe are only guidelines; each oven is different!
Use a clean toothpick to check for doneness in bar cookies
If just a few moist crumbs cling to the toothpick, they are probably done

17. How much time in between batches?
Let the Baking Sheet Cool!
Otherwise the dough starts to soften and the cookies lose shape (spreading) before they are placed in the oven!