Use parchment baking paper to line cookie sheets and save washing them.
Use presoftened chocolate (Hersheys has them in their line – each pouch is the same as 1 oz. of hard chocolate-(unsweetened)
Use egg beaters if you run out of regular eggs.
To separate yolks and whites for meringue cookies, etc. use a small stemmed funnel – white will run through and the top will hold the yolk
Use a small meat ball scoop or cookie dropper or scoop for putting cookies on baking sheets.
Prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate or freeze until needed – or if you have left over dough and not left over time to bake all of the dough.
Use pregrated orange peel or lemon peel (see the spice rack area) instead of zesting or grating a fresh fruit
Brush the cookies with a glaze and sprinkle colored sugar on the glaze instead of frosting the cookies – use a pastry brush
Sprinkle colored sugars or add a nut or coated chocolate candy (M&M's) on raw cookie before baking.
Instead of waiting to chill dough or rolling out sugar cookie dough, drop from teaspoon or cookie dropper and flatten with the bottom of a beverage glass. First spray the bottom of the glass to help the sugar to stick for the first cookie. Then dip bottom of glass into a dish of colored or granulated sugar for each cookie and squash down the cookie.
For easy rolling out of cookies, use a pastry sleeve (plastic round with zipper – can be found at some kitchen outlet stores – but buy the large one, do not buy the small one or you will regret the limitations of the size).
Start our baking day with a dishpan of hot soapy water to wash dishes as you bake additional recipes.
Place cookies on a waxed paper sheet that has been put on a cookie pan (jelly roll pan -with sides works best) before starting to frost and this way the extra sugars and frosting will be easy to clean up when done.
Have ingredients at room temperature before starting your baking day.
If making cookies that require cream of tartar and you don't have any, don't run to the store, instead use equal amount of lemon juice or orange juice. You will very likely not taste it and it will still actviate your rising ingredients, ie. baking soda.
Cookies dry out from serving or poorly sealed container – wet the inside of the cookie cover (dripping wet is okay) and replace it on the container and let it sit over night – repeat action if not moist enough.
There are many, many entries on this web site. Be sure to scroll back through to the beginning for all the recipes and tips.
I am available to teach cooking or food related subjects in your home or give presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@sbcglobal.net
