Tips For Baking Cookies

Cookie Sheets

There are many candied fruit cookie recipes out there to choose from. Whenever you choose one, use these tips as a guide to make them turn out spectacular.

Make sure you use a flat, shiny cookie sheet that is smaller than your oven rack by about two inches on both sides. The cookie sheet has to be completely flat to insure the cookies bake at an even rate and brown at the same time.

Cookie sheet that are non-stick generally come with specific directions for use, typically reducing the baking temperature by about thirty degrees.

Insulated cookie sheets are another type that may come with specific instructions for use. Cookies usually take a little longer to brown and the directions should help determine how much you should alter your bake time.

Preparing

Only grease the cookie sheet if the directions on the recipe call for it. You should, ideally, use a solid vegetable shortening instead of vegetable oil, butter, or margarine.

Shape cookie dough into similar sizes when placing on the cookie sheet so they will bake in a uniform manner.

Make sure you clean the cookie sheet after each use before using it for another batch. The residue could affect how the future cookies turn out.

Baking Tips

Bake only one cookie sheet at a time for the best results.

Set the timer to check the cookies at the lowest bake time to see if they are done.

Cooling Tips

Use a spatula to move the cookies from the sheet to the drying rack immediately except if the directions state otherwise. Don't stack the cookies on top of each other.