Baking Homemade Cookies
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| Cocoa Shortbread |
It also helps to follow these five rules:
1. Understand the nature and characteristics of each ingredient.
Flour, eggs, fats & oils, sweeteners, leaveners, flavors, and even decorating materials like fondant, marzipan - Each contributes to the appearance and texture of homemade cookies in its own way.
2. Measure baking ingredients accurately by using proper tools and techniques. This is part of mise en place - a French term means accurate selection and measurement of ingredients.
3. Do not overmix your cookie dough.
Overmixing encourages gluten development, resulting in dense and tough cookies.4. Do not overbake. Closely monitor oven temperature and baking time.
5. Always bake your homemade cookies with passion. :-)
I learned the first four rules very well in my cookie baking classes. No one, unfortunately, can teach you and me the fifth rule. I hope that with your existing passion for baking cookies, you will find this Web site informative and inspirational because I have so much more to share with you.
Speaking of sharing, all cookies are perfect for that purpose due to their relatively small size compared to that of cakes and other baked goods. They don’t take much time to prepare and bake. Most of us would likely have flour, eggs, butter, and sugar on hand at home anyway.
When it comes to sharing these all-time favorite treats, there is no boundary, geographical or otherwise. With proper mailing technique, you can send them all over the world.
Without further ado, I cordially invite you to browse through the site. The following TABLE OF CONTENTS will help you navigate through it with ease.
| Baking Homemade Cookies Blog Baking Homemade Cookies Blog quickly and conveniently keeps you informed of new Web pages, updates to existing ones, as well as time-sensitive cookie related news and events. |
| Easy Cookie Recipes - Less Time Preparing, More Time Enjoying Low fat, gluten free, no bake....many easy cookie recipes for your selection. |
| Evolution of Cookie Gift Baskets - A Story in Reverse Two possible origins of cookies may have started before the Middle Ages. Fancy cookie gift baskets or cookie bouquets were unknown in those days. |
| A Cookie Store for You and Others From this cookie store to your home are ready to enjoy homemade scrumptious treats and many baking related items. |
| Free Coupons - The Best Way to Save Free coupons and promotional saving codes for traditional and online shoppers in one convenient location. |
| How to Mail Homemade Cookies With Three Easy Steps Necessary ingredients to mail homemade cookies are selecting the right types of cookies, packing them properly, and using appropriate mailing method. |
| Starting a Homemade Cookie Business Three important aspects of any small business venture and two principles upon which a young family has built its own successful cookie business. |
| Host a Cookie Exchange Party for Fun Discover my favorite reason for hosting a cookie exchange party, in addition to other ideas and tips. |
| Effects of Eggs on Baking Homemade Cookies There is more to eggs than just providing structure and tenderness to homemade cookies. Here's why... |
| No Bake Cookies and Their Connection to Flour Although not used directly in no bake cookies, wheat flour has different types and comes in various forms. An analysis of its kernel and explanation of gluten are also available. |
| Butter for Baking Homemade Cookies Butter is certainly not the only choice of fats in baking homemade cookies. Find out about characteristics and composition of margarine, shortening, and oils in addition to butter. |
| Homemade Sugar Cookies and The Effects of Sugar Understanding the essential roles of sugar is prerequisite to baking tender sugar cookies. |
| Cookie Icing and Glazes - More Than a Visual Appeal Discussing different types, characteristics, and main ingredients of a stable cookie icing or glaze. |
| Baking Soda and Other Leaveners for Homemade Cookies History and composition of baking soda, baking powder, and other leaveners used in homemade cookies. |
| Fondant – Perfect for Cookie Decorations Decorating homemade cookies with fondant and sharing a recipe for this versatile sugarpaste. |
| Marzipan Basics Including a Simple Sculpting Project Showing you how to make marzipan, how to work with it, and how to preserve its quality. |
| A Gluten Free Diet With Soy Flour Soy flour - A nutritious, protein rich ingredient in any gluten free diet, soy flour. |
| Choices of Nuts in Baking Homemade Cookies Introducing different nuts most often used in baking homemade cookies including how to properly measure and store them. |
| Popular Flavorings for Your Favorite Homemade Cookies An overview of origins, types, and composition of popular spices and processed flavorings used in baking homemade cookies. |
| Dried Fruits in Baking Homemade Cookies Explaining the production and benefits of dried fruits, such as raisins, in baking homemade cookies. |
| Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Chip Cookies - Which Was First to Appear? Introducing the origin of chocolate chips and many other varieties of baking chocolate. |
| Cookie Baking Process - Science and Common Sense Important steps in a cookie baking process - from A through Z. |
| Cookie Problems – How to Avoid Them Helpful baking tips to assist homemade cookie lovers and bakers in avoiding and solving common cookie problems. |
| Baking Cookies - Helpful Tips and Techniques Baking cookies starts with selecting the right tools and proper measuring of ingredients. Here are many other helpful tips and techniques... |
| Food Sanitation in Baking Homemade Cookies Some issues concerning food sanitation and safety are personal hygiene, cross contamination, improper storage of cookie ingredients. |
| Comparing Baking Recipes Using Baker's Percentage Selecting baking recipes and adjusting them are easy using baker's percentage. It involves a little science and a little common sense. |
| How to Contact Baking Homemade Cookies A perfect way to contact me if you have suggestions, comments, cookie recipes to share. Looking forward to hearing from you. |
| Resources Related to Baking Perfect Homemade Cookies Offers cookie lovers many relevant, quality, and helpful resources that are related to baking homemade cookies and to building Web sites. |
| Baking Homemade Cookies SiteSearch Baking homemade cookies Web site is a labor of passion created by a baking enthusiast. Search the site to share this passion. |
| Smart Cookies Ezine - Always Keeping You Informed Smart Cookies ezine features recipe comparison, introduces cookies and cookie related products, reminds you of Web site updates along with intriguing articles, baking tips and trivia. |
| A Tribute to Visitors of Homemade Cookies A long-overdue tribute to those who have helped me build this Web site. |
"The Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies are just yummy!! I added chocolate kisses and even mini Snickers to make them too good to pass up!"
Beckey
2/24/2011
"Wow, what a great site. I just wanted to say thank you for this site and all of the information you have available."
David King
12/30/2009
"I magically found this site just in time for Christmas. It went right into my favorites! Thank you for the wonderful recipes and tips!"
Tiffany
11/30/2009
"i think this site is just brilliant!! That's alllllll..... Thank you for the wonderful recipes."
Jennifer
7/2/2009
"Oh my gosh, I just spent HOURS on your website! This is the epitome of a cookie website - I LOVE IT! I feel like I could keep reading on forever and still find new things. I am a die-hard cookie fan and passionate baker (even thought I'm only 23!), and this website has been the most informative I've come across so far - everything you need to know in one place. Thank you so much for all of the info! I would one day LOVE to sell my baked goods, and this website is definitely educating me on things I wanted to know. Thanks again, Holly."
Madison, WI
4/13/2009
"I'm the baker in my office and I love to bring treats on Monday morning. December was no-holds-bar baking month and now everyone is joking around and blaming me for their extra tummy pudge last year. The first Monday this month, I made your gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. They were a huge hit and everyone was surprised to find out that they were gluten-free and low fat. At about 4g of fat and 65 calories per cookie, everyone ate them up and are demanding more. I love your website and I look forward to trying all of your cookie recipes, Thanks."
Barbara
January 11, 2009
"Love your site! I tried the cheese and walnut biscotti this afternoon, it is really tasty. I was out of cheddar, so used monterey jack. I know the cheddar will have more bite, but this combo was nice too! Have you used any other herb/cheese combinations that you liked? I have some herbs de provence with lavender - I think it would be great in a savory biscotti! Thanks for your great passion for all things baking!"
Elaine
5/28/2008
"Really nice site! Thanks!!"
Lara
2/25/2008
"......This imbalance of acid to base between the ingredients called for in old recipes is something that has always puzzled me. It's usually the other way around, baking soda and baking powder with no counterbalancing acid. I'm left to presume these early bakers and recipe writers weren't exactly clear about the chemistry behind their wonders, they just did what their moms told them and persisted with what worked. My own mother's cooking was remarkably uncreative but nonetheless utterly obedient and so turned out just fine, bless her. I noticed cookies with baking soda stay softer than the same cookies without it. If I was looking for a hard dunkable cookie I might experiment with leaving it out. Here, with the Greek cookie, perhaps they want it to go crispy so left out the baking soda. But what do I know? I'm just learning. That's why I came here, and now I'm delighted to have discovered you. I do believe this site may be perfect. I can't imagine it organized better. Thank you. Bookmarked. I emailed my housekeeper with your address because she's rather good with cookies, she emailed back squealing with delight and glowing warm encomiums. Cheers. Bo"
12/25/2007