Baking Cookies - The No-Stress Guide

Little children are always fascinated by cooking. They watch their mothers cook when they are only knee high. I remember being so impressed with all the smells that came from the cupboard where we kept our spices. Cinnamon, basil, oregano and pepper all smelled so interesting in their little jars. I was amazed that my Mom could gather all these different ingredients from all over the kitchen and create dinner or lunch or even breakfast. Who knew mixing different white powders with an egg and some oil made these delicious things we call pancakes? I always wanted to cook instead of just watch. One day, I finally got my chance when Mom said "we" were making cookies. I got to be a part of the warm gooeyness we call chocolate chip cookies. What I learned then, I'll never forget: cooking isn't hard if you follow the steps in the right order.

First, gather all the ingredients you need. In my house, baking didn't involve cookies that cake from a tube or package. It was a bunch of raw ingredients you buy at the grocery store. So gather whatever you need: eggs, flour, baking soda or powder, salt, butter, perhaps oats, and of course chocolate chips. And plenty of them! Make sure you have everything in the amounts you need. Nothing is worse than getting half way through a recipe and needing to run to the store or begging a neighbor for some eggs.

Cookie Bake

Second, gather any equipment you will need. Back when Mom and I made chocolate chip cookies, all we needed was a bowl, a wooden spoon, some non-stick spray and a cookie sheet. While the method hasn't changed, the equipment has. I use a mixer now. It just blends everything so nicely. And instead of spraying my cookie sheets, I use Silt-pat washable liners. You could also use parchment paper to line your cookie sheets. It doesn't really matter. The star of the show is still the cookies themselves.

Next just follow the recipe. Make sure you are using a teaspoon when it calls for teaspoon. The first time I made cookies, I didn't know the difference between a cup and a teaspoon. If it hadn't been for a quick mom, those would have been the saltiest cookies ever! Always pre-heat the oven. And never over cook cookies! If the recipe calls for eight to ten minutes of cooking time, set the timer for eight minutes and see how they look. Slightly under done cookies are much softer and tastier than their over-done brothers.

Baking Cookies - The No-Stress Guide

Lastly, once you've mastered the art of baking cookies, you can have a blast using character cake pans for your next project. Check with sites such as http://charactercakepans.org to see what's available online.

Thanks To : circulon 2 10 piece cookware set staub 9.5 inch saute pan farberware cookware set 10 piece