Cookie Baking Questions and Answers

Commonly Asked Cookie Baking Questions

Q - How long can I store cookie dough in the refrigerator?

A - I would store it no longer than a week, as with most perishable foods. If you need to store it longer than a week, you should just go ahead and freeze the cookie dough right after making it. And don't worry, I do it all the time with my cookie doughs and they bake up just fine! :o) - Michelle

Q - I need to bake cookies ahead of time and freeze them, is there anything I need to know?

A - Yep, here you go, read my article Tips for Storing and Freezing Cookies

Q - I want to mail some homemade cookies to my Mom for her birthday, do you have any suggestions for how to ship them safely?

A - We sure do! I've been shipping cookies to friends and family for many years and have some great tips for you - read them here at How to Ship Cookies So They Will Arrive Fresh and Undamaged. - Michelle

Q - How do you get cookies to be soft and not crunchy?

A - Keep cookies soft by following these steps. First, do not over bake them. Bake the cookies just until they are golden brown, not dark brown. Next, don't leave them on the cookie sheets for more than a minute or two. The cookies will continue baking on the hot sheet even after you have removed them from the oven. And finally, store them in an air-tight container as soon as they are cooled. If you leave cookies out in the open for too long even soft baked cookies will turn into crunchy ones. - Michelle

Q - Do you recommend using butter, margarine or Crisco® for baking cookies?

A - Unsalted butter, butter, butter! For the most delicate, delicious cookies, use butter. Margarine will compromised the taste, and Crisco will change the texture as well as the taste. If you use salted butter, you can often cut back on the salt in the recipe. - Michelle

Q - I've seen a lot of cookie recipes say to use a cookie rack for cooling cookies after baking, do I really need to use one?

A - Well, you can certainly make delicious home baked cookies without a cooling rack, but I do recommend them. When you allow cookies to cool directly on the cookie sheet, the bottom of the cookies continue to bake. Although it may be just a slight difference, the cooling racks do help that perfect cookie stay perfect. I have a set of three that stack on top of each other to save counter space. - Michelle

Q - How can I prevent my cookies from spreading too much on the baking sheet, any tips?

A - There are several things you can do to prevent cookies from 'spreading' while baking...

Don't put your cookie dough on a hot baking sheet! If baking more than a dozen cookies at a time, you'll need to use two baking sheets (always use the cooled off one for each new batch of cookies), or allow enough time between baking for your first sheet to cool off.
Chill your dough, and keep it chilled while each batch is baking. Works great!
Using some types of margarines will make your cookies spread more because they contain too much water. Experiment with different brands, including real butter. Of course shortening will also prevent cookies from spreading, but you may also sacrifice some taste.
Did you grease your baking sheets? It's very rare for a cookie recipe to call for greased baking sheets, usually this step is used for cakes and muffins. The reason is, cookies have enough butter (fat) in them already to spread and be lifted off the sheet easily with a spatula. That is, as long as they are not left on the baking sheet or left in the oven too long, to burn -- heaven forbid!
If your cookies still continue to spread, try freezing the dough and letting it soften up just enough so you can get the spoon in to scoop them out and put them on the baking sheet. This should definitely work!

Michelle Jones, Founder of CookieClubRecipes.com, CakeClubRecipes.com, BetterBudgeting.com, and GrocerySavingTips.com