Flour:Flour: gluten provides structure Eggs:Eggs: provide structure, moisture Sugar:Sugar: flavoring, browning, expansion while baking Fat:Fat: adds moisture, texture Also… leavening agents, flavorings, garnishes

Drop Cookies:Drop Cookies: firm dough or batter dropped onto pan; high fat content –Types –Ex: Chocolate Chip Cookies & Snickerdoodles Icebox cookies: formed into a cylinder; then chilled and sliced Piped cookies: soft dough piped through pastry bag Stenciled cookies: thin batter spread into stencils or spread free-hand on sheet pans

Bar Cookies:Bar Cookies: soft batter spread in pan to bake EX: Brownies –Short shelf life due to cut edges –Can be cut to different sizes –Twice-baked cookies: low fat content Rolled cookies:Rolled cookies: stiff dough rolled flat and cut into shapes Ex: Sugar Cookies –Molded cookies: stiff dough shaped by hand; can also be stamped, pressed, or piped

Ingredients –Room temperature (70-75°F) for all ingredients before mixing –Measure all ingredients –Mixing methods Creaming method Foaming method

Preparing Cookie PansPreparing Cookie Pans –Prepare pans before mixing dough –Select flat sheet pans for most cookies Double panning: stack 2 pans to prevent too much browning Use specified pan size for bar cookies –Line pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat –Pans should be at room temperature when filled

Creaming MethodCreaming Method –Blend ingredients until consistency is smooth and uniform –Short creaming prevents excessive spreading while baking –Dough should be cool going into oven –Overmixing causes gluten development

Foaming MethodFoaming Method –Whip eggs and sugar until light –Add dry ingredients –Cookies use less flour and have more resilient texture

–Drop cookies: –Drop cookies: fill scoop, level, release onto pan, flatten if needed –Icebox cookies: –Icebox cookies: chill dough in parchment wrapped cylinders, slice, put on pan –Piped cookies: –Piped cookies: fill pastry bag with dough, dispense in rows –Stenciled cookies: –Stenciled cookies: spoon chilled batter into stencil on pan, remove stencil

–Bar cookies: –Bar cookies: spread dough to even thickness in pan –Twice-baked cookies: –Twice-baked cookies: form dough into log, bake, cool, slice, bake again –Cut-out cookies: –Cut-out cookies: roll out chilled dough, cut with knife or cutters, bake like sizes together –Molded cookies: –Molded cookies: chill dough, press stamp into dough or dough into mold

Baking CookiesBaking Cookies –Oven temperature: preheat –Position of oven racks: use center of oven –Baking: check halfway; rotate sheet –Determining doneness: light golden- brown on bottom –Cooling: remove from pan quickly

Finishing CookiesFinishing Cookies –Cutting bar cookies: cool, remove entire bar from pan, straight cut –Glazing or icing cookies: arrange cookies together, pipe icing or glaze –Shaping stenciled cookies: drape warm cookies over objects –Sandwiching cookies: two uniform cookies with thin layer of filling between them

–Cookies provide perfect accompaniment to desserts –Element of plated desserts –Allow chefs to create signature desserts –Store cool cookies –Use airtight containers at room temperature –Sugar in cookies attracts moisture