With less than two weeks (and counting!) left ’til the most cookie-centric holiday on the calendar, I’m sure all my baking peeps are knee-deep in flour, sugar, and butter right about now! So I’m spilling my best cookie baking secrets to you all, in the spirit of giving…
Almost every baking blog I visit has a post or a FAQ devoted to the subject, “How do you bake cookies that don’t spread all over the place in the oven, hold their pretty shape, and have nice, neat edges???” It was not too long ago that I was myself searching for the answer to this age-old cookier question. And when I want something, I do not rest until I’ve nailed it! After much research, and much experimentation, I’ve decided to put everything I’ve learned on this subject into one comprehensive post.
I do realize that after reading this post, there is a very good chance that your cookies will now be as pretty, if not even PRETTIER, than mine. (Yikes!) But when I really think about it, I have learned SO much from the many talented baker/bloggers out there, and they’ve given so generously! It’s because of them that I’ve been able to build this hobby/biz that I’m so fulfilled by! It simply would not be fair for me to keep this stuff to myself! It’s too good! And what’s the point of a blog like this anyway, if not to inspire???
So, let’s dive in!
I developed this cut-out cookie recipe myself, but based it on a few of my favorite cookie bloggers’ recipes.
LilaLoa: End-All for Chocolate Cookies
Sweetopia: Gingerbread Cookies
Bake at 350: Biscoff Cutouts (which I sometimes sub peanut or sunflower seed butter for the Biscoff- either way, hello, YUM!)
In Katrina’s Kitchen: Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
The Sweet Adventures of SugarBelle: Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe
The changes/tweaks/modifications I’ve made to their formulas produce cookies that are kinda soft, but a little crunchier around the edges, with a mouthfeel somewhere between a sugar cookie and a shortbread. Here is my basic vanilla recipe (gulp!):
- 2 sticks (1 cup) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (optional)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cream together the cold, cubed butter, the granulated sugar, and the salt.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla (or other flavorings/extracts).
- Add all the flour and cornstarch, and mix on low speed, until fully incorporated and forming a ball.
- Roll out to a thickness of 5/16 inch, cut into shapes, and bake for 12 minutes (for appox. 2½ inch cookie).
And now for some of my best tips:
1) Don’t Bother Softening the Butter
I like to use cold, cubed butter when I make the dough. Two reasons: 1) I’m lazy, and impatient, and I don’t always plan ahead. I don’t want to wait for the extra step of softening the butter. When that cookie baking urge strikes, I just want to go for it! 2) It also saves the step of chilling the dough before baking, which is another trick a lot of bakers use to help their cookies keep their shape. If you work quickly, the butter is still pretty cold when it goes into the oven, so the dough holds its shape better and doesn’t get all melty and slide all over the baking sheet.
2) Leave Out the Leavening
Now, you may notice that my recipe contains no leavening of any kind. If you think about the purpose of baking powder in a recipe, it’s to help things puff up and spread out (hello!?), and be light and fluffy. Light and fluffy is great in a muffin or a pancake, but we are talking cookies, here, people. They are meant to have a little bite to them. Perhaps they are a little bit heavier, but in this instance, you kinda want that. Odds are, you are either shipping your cookies or delivering them by car, and if they are too light and delicate, they’re more likely to break. So, this is going to give you a more durable cookie, and I promise you, they are still every bit as delicious.
3) Think Outside the Flavor Box
One of the best tips I can give you, is to think outside the box when it comes to flavors! Yes, a vanilla cookie will probably not offend anyone, but you don’t want to put everyone to sleep either! Let’s be honest, sugar cookies are fun to decorate, and everyone is always impressed by their beauty, but they aren’t always the most enticing offering on the dessert table. Why not jazz them up with some unique flavors? How about some peppermint in your chocolate cookies, some orange zest in your gingerbread, or even some lemon and thyme in your vanilla? People can’t help themselves but TRY it, if for no other reason than to satisfy their curiosity!
PB&J Cookies, with Dried Strawberries, for my Kindergartner’s Halloween Party
4) The Magic Ingredient
This is the biggest key to the whole business, and maybe the only thing that you won’t find on any other blog out there (that I’ve seen, anyway). THE CORNSTARCH. It’s pure witchcraft. I discovered it totally by accident, when searching for a way to make my gluten-free cookies less grainy and sandy textured. I had read that cornstarch can give shortbread a “meltaway” texture, and I thought I’d give it a go in my GF flour mix. It really does help, incidentally, but I also noticed that it made the dough SUCH a pleasure to work with! It is NOT sticky at all, nor is it crumbly. It just stays right where you want it.
It doesn’t even stick to the mixing bowl!
And those edges! I about died…! SO clean and perfect! Now I use it in every kind of batch, in every flavor. I just can’t live without it. Try it, you’ll see! Just sub out a little of the flour for cornstarch, in any recipe. It’s like magic!
5) Make Parchment Your Bestie
Also, definitely try rolling your dough between two layers of parchment paper. It is absolutely no-muss no-fuss! Between the silky, UNcrumbly texture of this dough, and the parchment thing, I barely even need to wipe my countertops after making these cookies! **No bench flour!** (Which, by the way, can also make a tougher, less tender cookie.) I also line my baking sheets with it, and besides keeping things from sticking, it keeps the pans cleaner too! My cookies bake on parchment, and then I lay them on the same sheets to dry after decorating, so each sheet gets double duty. Here are the baking sheets I use, and here is where I order my parchment.
6) Crank Up the Oven Temperature
Finally, you may notice that I recommend baking the cookies at a higher temperature, for a shorter time. This allows the cookie to “set up” more quickly, and hold it’s shape during baking, so again, less melty-slidey.
I hope these tips and tricks inspire you to get out your mixer and create some beautiful holiday cookies. Honestly, there was a time when I felt daunted by the idea, but thanks to a lot of inspiration from the talented ladies I mentioned above, and now that I’ve worked out my recipe and this system, it’s totally painless!
Do you like to bake and decorate cookies at this time of year? What is your favorite kind to make? Have you struggled with too-spread-out cookies and sloppy edges? Do you have any sanity-saving tricks to make it easier? Please share!
These are beautiful. Way better than anything Martha did! Great job. :0)
thanks, mom!
Can you link the chocolate dough recipe? They look yummy!
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oh, yes, sorry, maureen, for the confusion! the chocolate dough is LilaLoa’s End-All For Chocolate recipe. the link is within the post. i just sub about 3/4 cup of flour out for cornstarch… it is fabulous! so chocolatey, a little like a soft oreo or a chewy brownie! definitely check out her blog, she is so great!!!
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These cookies? Are insane! You are an insane cookie genius, and I am in awe of you!
ha ha i’m sure you’ve got the insane part right…
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These are beautiful! Do you also have a tried and true icing recipe to go with these?
I’m so excited to try your tips, cornstrach, no baking powder, cubed better, it all makes sense! I use my great grandmas sugar cookie recipe w/ these tips it’ll make it easier : )
That’s awesome, Holly! So glad you enjoyed the post. I’m sure the tips will work great with your great grandma’s recipe (so great, by the way!). Good luck, and enjoy!
What kind of Icing do you use for the cookies?
Hi, Ellen! I use royal icing which is made with meringue powder, and dries to a hard, almost candy-like finish. Here is my formula:
2T meringue powder, whisked with 5T water until frothy. Add 2 2/3 cup powdered sugar and whip until thick. Tint, and thin to desired consistency.
Hope that is helpful! Thanks for reading and commenting!
What do you sub for gingerbread cookies? I cannot wait to make these!
Hi, Danielle! Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you! Christmastime gets a little crazy but things are beginning to get back to normal now…
To answer your question, I have been using Sweetopia’s gingerbread recipe, which is linked within the post, but I do cut back on the sugar and molasses a bit (I find the cookie comes out a little more tender), and I also sub out about 1/2 cup of flour for cornstarch.
I hope my answer did not come too late for you! Good luck with your cookie baking and please come back and let me know how it works out for you!
I am so excited to finally find a recipe for cookies that hold their shape! I was so impressed! However, mine seemed to come out a bit dry…I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue? Can I reduced the amount of cornstarch or flour or maybe increase the butter a bit? Thanks!
So glad they held their shape for you, Sarah! Well, I’m sure you know that the humidity plays a part, so perhaps that is the culprit. I would definitely try reducing the dry ingredients a bit. I can usually tell if the dough is right while it’s still in the mixer. If it looks crumbly, I’ll sometimes add a little cream to bring it back together. It usually only takes a few drops. If it looks sticky, I’ll add a little more flour. I know it’s right when it gathers itself into a smooth ball and the bowl looks clean… Let me know if that helps, ok? Good luck!
sarah, i also just wanted to mention that if you wait before rolling/cutting/baking, the dough will tend to get dry and crumbly. if you like to make the dough ahead, and do the rolling later, you’ll want to reduce the flour by about half a cup. hope that helps; happy baking!
I just have to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for posting this recipe. I had to make cookies for my cousin’s baby shower, and I wanted to find a recipe that would hold its shape well (I used a bow-shaped cookie cutter and wanted to make sure they still looked like bows after they were baked!). They came out absolutely fantastic!! I was a bit skeptical at first about using cold butter and the cornstarch, but it all came out amazingly well. And rolling between parchment paper? Genius! I can’t believe I hadn’t tried that before! Again, thank you SO much for this recipe, I have a feeling I will be making a lot more cookies now!!
I am so happy you were pleased and I am SO happy to hear you will be making a lot more cookies! Your comment, without a doubt, made my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me your success story!
I just want to thank you so very much for this recipe and the tips on baking cookies! I have tried several recipes since Thanksgiving and have either discarded them based on taste or how much they spread while baking. Using your recipe today has literally saved my butt! My baby turns 4 on Easter Sunday, so not only did I have tons of cookies planned for our Easter holiday, but also castles, knights, swords and shields for the birthday boy. I am DONE and not A SINGLE spread or damaged cookie. Simply amazing and even the birthday boy said they were yum…even undecorated!!! Thanks so very much. You’re my new favorite person
Wow, Amberleigha! I’m so so SO HAPPY that it worked out so well for you! You have no idea how great it is to read a comment like that. Thank you so much for taking the time to write me! You gave me the warmest fuzzies thinking about your little birthday boy (turning 4! Just like my little one just did a few weeks ago!) enjoying his cookies on Easter Sunday…! Big hugs to you both!
Thank you! Finally, a sugar cookie that keeps its shape, is smooth and tastes great! I am making butterflies for a baby shower and your recipe saved the day!
Yay! So happy they worked out for you! And thanks for taking the time to let me know. I love hearing that!