Everything You Need to Know About Baking Cookies

HINTS FOR COOKIE BAKERS:
As in all other baking, flour for cookies is always sifted once before measuring.
Preheat oven to the temperature given in the recipe about 15 minutes before you want to bake the cookies.
Prepare the baking sheets and pans in advance by greasing them, unless otherwise specified, with any mild-flavored unsalted shortening. Use a pastry brush or soft paper. Only doughs containing a high proportion of shortening are baked on ungreased cookie sheets or pans.
If a cookie sheet is not available, a pan with sides may be turned upside down and the cookies baked on the bottom of the pan.

INGREDIENTS FOR COOKIES:
Individual preferences may be followed in choosing some of the ingredients. Any mild flavored fat is acceptable for cookies; however, part butter or margarine, preferably half, will improve flavor unless the recipe specifically calls for another shortening.
The flour may be cake flour, whole wheat or enriched. Many recipes name a specific flour to be used. Where just "flour" is called for, that means all-purpose flour.
When substituting cake flour for all-purpose flour, add 2 more tablespoons of cake flour for each cup called for in the recipe.
Flavoring may be vanilla, or a combination of flavors.
Nuts may be peanuts, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hickory nuts, black walnuts or whatever kind is available.

SHAPING COOKIES:
For easy handling it is often advisable or necessary to chill the dough.
For rolled cookies, shape the dough into medium-sized balls, roll out, and cut with cutters dipped in flour. Shake off excess flour each time. Save the scraps from each rolling, re-chill and roll out again.
A pastry wheel may be used for cutting rectanglar, diamond or triangle shaped cookies. It saves time and makes re-rolling of dough unnecessary.
All cookies should be uniform in size and thickness so they will bake evenly.
To obtain a glaze over the cookies, brush with egg white or beaten egg yolk before baking.
When making drop cookies, chilling the dough keeps it from spreading and flattening. Allow ample space between cookies.

DECORATING COOKIES:
For decorating cookies the following materials may be used: nuts, chocolate bits of shavings, shredded coconut, candied bits of fruit, colored candies and sugars and dots of marmalade and jellies.
For putting cookies together---fruit fillings, softened marshmallows and frosting may be used.

HOW TO TELL WHEN COOKIES ARE DONE:
Crisp cookies: When delicately browned.
Drop cookies: When touched lightly with a finger, spring back into shape.
Bar cookies: still moist when done, follow the time given in the recipe.
Overbaking makes cookies hard and dry. Watch timing carefully and test when the minimum time is reached. Better yet, bake and test 1 cookie before placing a panful in the oven.

HINTS ABOUT BAKING SHEETS:
* Baking sheets with little or no sides will let your cookies bake evenly and quickly. The sheets should be shiny for best results.
* Do not grease a cookie sheet unless the recipe calls for it because it may cause the cookies to spread too much.
* Baking sheets should clear the sides of the oven by at least two inches for best circulation of heat and even baking.
* When re-using baking sheets, cool them before placing unbaked cookies on them or the heat will melt the shortening in the dough and cause the cookies to spread too much during baking.
* When you bake two sheets of cookies at one time, place one on each rack. Reverse the sheets once during baking for better browning.

TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH:
Most cookie doughs freeze satisfactorily. Pack drop or rolled cookie dough in freezer containers; label and freeze.
To use, thaw in refrigerator until the dough is easy to handle.
Prepare and bake as directed in recipes.
Form refrigerator cookie dough into rolls or use special molds.
Wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap; seal and label. To use, cut frozen or slightly thawed dough into slices. Bake as directed in recipes.