Get ready to bake cookies with these 7 important tips for making delicious cookies. Whether you prefer crispy or soft cookies, these practical tips will help you achieve the best results.
Happy Holidays!
The cookie season is here 🍪 Planning to bake cookies this month? Here are some reliable tips to help your next batch turn out great.
Seven essential tips for making delicious cookies.
Here we go!
Ensure the butter is completely softened
When a recipe calls for softened butter, let it sit at room temperature until it is fully pliable. If the butter is still firm, ingredients won’t blend evenly and the dough can separate. I usually leave butter out for a few hours to reach the right consistency.
If you forget to take it out in advance, warm it in the microwave in very short bursts (about 5 seconds), turning it each time so it softens but does not melt.
This step is not needed for recipes that require cold butter, such as tart crusts.
Use parchment paper to roll out the dough
Instead of dusting the work surface heavily with flour, sandwich the dough between sheets of parchment paper. This makes rolling easier and cleaner.
Benefits of using parchment:
- The dough won’t stick to the surface, simplifying the process.
- You avoid adding extra flour, which helps keep cookies tender rather than overly crunchy.
- The cookie surface stays free of a white flour coating.
If you prefer rolling with flour and are comfortable with that method, continue—use whichever technique works best for you.
Thicker cookies spread more in the oven
Thicker pieces of dough will spread wider as they bake. For cut-out cookies, I usually roll slightly thinner than 1/4 inch to control spreading. If your goal is chewy cookies that spread, follow the recipe’s instructions instead.
Preheat the oven (always)
Always preheat the oven to the specified temperature before baking. Even if a recipe doesn’t emphasize it, a fully preheated oven ensures predictable spreading and browning. Baking in an oven that hasn’t reached temperature can cause cookies to spread too much or cook unevenly.
Cookies brown slightly more with residual heat
Cookies continue to firm and brown a bit after removal from the oven. If you want to preserve bright colors for decorated cut-outs or keep cookies soft, take them out a little before they reach the ideal color because residual heat will finish the process.
Store dough in the freezer and bake later
Baking for a crowd can be time-consuming, so make dough ahead and freeze it. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or leave it on the counter briefly if you forget. You can even freeze cut-out shapes and bake them directly from frozen in a preheated oven. This saves time on busy baking days.
Store with silica gel to keep cookies very crispy
To keep cookies crisp for several days, store them in an airtight container with food-safe silica gel packets. This tip is for crisp cookies, not soft or chewy varieties. Silica gel helps absorb moisture, which is especially useful in humid climates.
If you bake many crispy cookies, tins of reusable silica gel are a worthwhile pantry staple for keeping cookies, tarts, and meringues crisp.
… and that’s it. There are more small tips, but I’m keeping this list focused and practical so it’s easy to follow.
I hope these pointers help—best of luck with your next baking session!
Happy baking,
Aya xx
Cookie Recipes
Explore cookie ideas and choose your favorite to try at home.
- Gingerbread cookies
- 10 holiday cookies from one dough
- Shortbread cookies
- Lemon shortbread cookies
- 4 classic chewy cookies from one dough
- Tuile cookies
- Slice-and-bake Christmas cookies – Santa, boots, and wreath
- Slice-and-bake Christmas cookies – reindeer, tree, and present box
💬 If you have questions, leave them in the comments at the end of this post. I’d love to hear your feedback if you try any of these recipes!