Cookie Baking Tips

Bakeware: You want to use a shiny, flat cookie sheet at least two inches narrower and shorter than your oven rack. The cookie sheet may be open on one, two or three sides. Cookies may not brown evenly if a cookie sheet is warped.

Follow manufacturer's instructions if using a cookie sheet with a nonstick coating; the oven temperature may need to be reduced by 25 degrees F.

Follow manufacturer's instructions if using an “insulated” cookie sheet; cookies may take slightly longer to bake or may brown differently.

Before Baking: You want to grease the cookie sheet only if directed in the recipe. Then use a solid vegetable shortening (not butter, margarine, vegetable oil spread or oil) or use nonstick cooking spray.

To ensure uniform baking, make cookies the same size and thickness.
You want to clean and cool cookie sheets before reusing or cookies may stick to sheet or spread too much.
Always remove the foil wrapping from candy before placing them on cookies.
Do not put cookies back into the oven after placing candy on top of them.

Baking: In the center of the oven, bake only one sheet of cookies at a time.

Check cookies at minimum baking time.

Cooling: Remove baked cookies immediately from the cookie sheet with a wide spatula, unless the recipe states other cooling directions. Place cookies in a single layer on a wire rack to cool completely before storing.

Storage: You want to store crisp, thin cookies in a container or a tin with a loose-fitting cover.

For unfrosted soft cookies, you want to store in an airtight container to preserve moistness.

For frosted soft cookies, you want to store in a single layer in an airtight container so that the frosting will keep its shape and the cookies will stay moist.