5 Steps to Baking Cookies

Whether you are baking simple sugar cookies or attempting a multi-layered confectionery creation, mastering each step of cookie-making can mean the difference between a bakery-worthy bar and a dismal disaster. While almost anyone can mix some flour with some liquid, bake it and call it a cookie, to create a mouth-watering masterpiece, don't skip any of the five steps required for proper cookie-making. From the correct combining technique to the final removal from the oven, each step helps ensure your cookies come out picture-perfect.

Things You'll Need

Baking pan
Parchment paper or other baking liner
Mixing bowl
Whisk or sifter

Electric mixer
Ingredients
Mixing spoon
Spatula

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients in bowl using a whisk or sifter. Dry ingredients, such as flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and spices, require mixing before being added to wet ingredients to prevent uneven distribution. Note that sugar, however, is usually beaten with wet ingredients to aid in dissolving the crystals, so leave it out of this step.
Beat wet ingredients together with sugar. Eggs, butter, oil, milk, extracts and fruit puree are usually beaten together with sugar until they become creamy and light. Use a hand or stand mixer and beat until combined.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the moist ingredients in small amounts using a mixing spoon, making sure to blend until just combined.
Preheat oven to ensure an even baking temperature and line the baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner to prevent cookies from sticking. Bake cookies according to the recipe in the fully preheated oven.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet before removing them with a clean, dry spatula.

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