Why is it that when trying out a new cookie recipe, the first batch rarely turns out the way we had hoped? If we want crispy, they turn out soft; if we want soft, they turn out crunchy. How can we bake them to our preferred texture? The answer is: don’t be afraid to experiment.
A recipe that claims to produce the ‘perfect’ chocolate chip cookie is only as perfect as the baker decides. Baking demands experimentation, so examine that recipe with a cynical eye and make adjustments with no fear. Even a batch that comes out too crispy—short of burnt—or too chewy, will get eaten by volunteers, leaving you free to try again. You may need to make several batches to achieve the perfect texture, but the delicious results will be worth the effort.
(8photo/freepik)
Handling the Heat
There are many factors that affect how cookies come out of the oven, including the oven itself. Ovens can be finicky, and it’s important to know if yours maintains the right temperature. Sometimes gas ovens bake too hot, sometimes electric ovens bake too cool. An internal oven thermometer can help with that detail.
Other factors to consider for cookie production include the types of pans you use, baking time, and even the elevation you live at—which would require adjustments to baking time and temperature. Many recipes include tips for adjusting the recipe to higher elevations.
Tweaking for Texture
Even with the ideal oven, pans, and elevation, the ingredients are the key to producing the cookie texture you love. Don’t be afraid to substitute what the recipe calls for or to tweak the measurements—a little less of this, a little more of that. Here are a few helpful tips.
Crispy Edges, Soft Centers
If a crispy-edge cookie with a soft center is what you want, focus on lower-moisture ingredients. Vegetable shortening will produce cookies with a pleasing crunch. Half butter and half shortening, or even all butter, will also produce crunchy-edge cookies, but all shortening is the method to use if you like soft centers. Since butter has a lower melting temperature, it spreads as it bakes, yielding thinner, crispy cookies with no soft centers. Shortening sets faster when baked, resulting in a softer center.
Granulated sugar instead of brown sugar, which is moist because it’s made with molasses, is the other ingredient you want to use for crispy-edge, soft-center cookies. Finally, a cooler oven temperature and longer baking time will yield the texture you crave.
Just Plain Crispy
If you prefer cookies that are crispy with no soft centers, focus on using butter and granulated sugar, as mentioned above, but consider leaving out the eggs. Eggs provide moisture and leavening, which will keep your cookies thick in the middle.
Flour type can also affect crispiness. Many recipes recommend all-purpose flour to achieve a crisp texture. Due to its higher protein content, all-purpose flour helps cookies brown faster. Finally, baking cookies longer, until the edges are brown, will also ensure a crispy cookie.
Simply Soft
If soft cookies are your favorites, focus on high-moisture ingredients. Brown sugar, eggs, and butter or shortening will yield soft cookies. However, if you use butter, add less sugar to keep the butter from spreading during baking. The cookies will still be sweet, but the butter will have a more prominent flavor. If you want to avoid the buttery flavor, use shortening and the same amount of sugar the recipe calls for.
Cake flour is also recommended for softer cookies due to its lower protein content. A shorter baking time will keep the cookies from getting crispy, as well, but be sure they’re done. Undercooked cookies could give you salmonella as easily as raw cookie dough.
Bonus Tips
Other tips for producing perfect cookies include chilling or not chilling the dough before baking. Chilling the dough keeps it from spreading for thick, soft cookies. Not chilling the dough will allow it to spread when baking, resulting in crisp, thin cookies.
Another tip is to mix the butter, or shortening, and sugar to a creamy texture before gently folding in the other ingredients. This will result in light and airy cookies. Note that this technique recommends not mixing the other ingredients too much, or the dough will be stiff and produce hard cookies.
One more tip about pans if you prefer a soft texture: use parchment paper to line your cookie sheets. This will keep the dough from spreading and may prevent the bottoms of the cookies from becoming too dark. A silicone pan liner works well, too.
Once you’ve achieved your favorite texture for that new cookie recipe, be sure to make notes so you can duplicate the delicious results. Whether you prefer crunch or softness, baking cookies to perfection is worth the effort of experimentation. We’re willing to bet your friends will wash your dishes—in exchange for cookies, of course.
No time to cook? There’s a solution for that, too. Chocolate Shipped Cookies has been churning out gourmet cookies with the perfect texture for years. If you want to send cookies by mail that maintain their fresh taste and texture upon delivery, click here to place your order.
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Infographic
Even with the perfect oven and pans, the right ingredients are key to achieving your favorite cookie texture. Feel free to substitute or adjust measurements—minor tweaks can make a big difference. Take a look at this infographic for helpful tips.
