Hi,
I have a couple of quetions regarding the No fail sugar cookies and I'm hoping someone might be able to give some answers....
1. After making the dough I placed it in the fridge to chill but when I wanted to roll, it was really hard so I had to wait for it to soften first - is this how the dough is supposed to be texture wise?
2. Can the leftover unbaked dough be placed in the freezer and if so, for how long can one keep it there?
3. I've read that the baked cookies can be frozen. How would you package them to be frozen and for how long can they be frozen? Also, will they not go soft from being in the freezer?
Regards
Shamani
I think I can help a little with the first question. when I made these I rolled out portions of the dough after it was mixed between waxed paper and then let it chill in the frig. The chilling part is to help firm up the dough to allow you to cut your shapes easier and then it's also easier to get out of the cutters when it's firm. I roll mine between wax paper so I don't have to add extra flour and the cookies don't get as tough. Plus this way you can stack sheets on top of one another. I have frozen sheets of dough (uncooked) and then a couple of weeks later made cookies from that.
Hope this helps some.
Kate
The dough is very hard when it's chilled! I always divide it into four smaller pieces before I pop it into the fridge so it warms up faster when I go to roll it out. I've also microwaved it for a few seconds to make it easier to handle, but you really have to watch it if you're going to do that. It can go from rock-solid to super-soft in no time. I freeze this dough all the time and I've never had a problem with it. I thaw it in the fridge, which can take up to a day, then knead it a few times on the countertop to make it workable again. I've only frozen baked cookies that weren't decorated. I know other's say that they have frozen them decorated, but I'm too chicken to try that! I'm afraid of the icing running and bleeding while they thaw.
Thank-you for the info, going to try the waxed sheets method after dividing the dough.
If you follow Antonia74's tutorial..'How to Bake and Decorate Cookies', it's so much easier than the way most of us are used to doing. I always wrapped my dough in plastic right after mixing it up and then let it chill. And it never failed that it would be rock hard when I started to roll it out and it would even break around the edges or be too soft to work with by the time I started cutting out my shapes, and things like that...very frustrating. But if you roll it out on a sheet pan between sheets of wax paper first, and then put it in the freezer to firm up, then cut out and place on another sheet pan/cookie sheet to bake....it really makes the dough so much easier to work with...very few problems. And any leftover dough, I usually freeze rolled out on a sheet pan. Once it's frozen, I wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil. It's on the bottom of the freezer and I can easily place other things on top of it with no worries, once it's frozen. And I think Antonia74 advised that dough can stay in the freezer, well wrapped, about a month or two and still be good. Hope this helps
*edited for atrocious spelling...lol
I mix the dough, and from the mixer, I put a plop of dough on parchment paper and place a piece of parchment paper on top and roll it out. I cut the cookies and leave them in place, I don't lift them out. Then I slide the rolled out dough (on the paper) onto a cutting board and stick it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. After a few minutes, I pull it out of the freezer and remove the cut-cookies from the dough and place them on my sheet for baking. If you look under the "How To's" in the purple box on the "home" page, you'll see Antonia's tutorial for better tips.
kos
you could also try leaving it in the fridge to chill for a little less time. I usually roll it out and chill it between wax paper, but when I don't I find that if I leave it in the fridge for about an hour, it's fine for rolling. But, if I leave it in for 2-3 hours, it needs to soften up a little first.
Hi!
I tried to make the 'No Fail Sugar Cookies' last night and failed THREE times!!
Im in the UK and have some American cups, but it didn't work. I then tried to convert the recipe to grams(twice), but it came out like breadcrumbs (twice)!!
Any Idea??
Also I'd like to know how everyone seems to make their chocolate cookies so lovely and dark. Mine look pale brown. Do you add real melted chocolate and or cocoa?
TIA!
taniabanana - The dry crumbly texture happens to me sometimes. (it almost resembles a pie crust dough) I was able to keep mixing one time and it eventually held together. The last time, I ended up adding a Tablespoon of milk. I know there was a thread about his problem somewhere but can't seem to find it. I believe Antonia mentioned weighing the flour vs. measuring it to get a more accurate amount. Maybe the next time you try it, add less flour.
kos
taniabanana - Not sure if this will help but I also weigh my flour instead of measuring it. I really do it because I find it much easier than measuring. I use 744 grams for 6 cups or 372 grams for 3 cups when I half the recipe.
I haven't tried this yet but I know Antonia74 and other use it and rave about the cookies:
http://www.kitchengifts.com/chocolatecookies.html
Hope that helps!
I've just recently pestered Antonia about this very subject.
I chilled my dough overnight (had to for scheduling purposes). Then when ready to work with it the next day I cleaned my counter top really well, took a big hunk of dough, kneaded it a bit and rolled it out on my counter top with no flour/no anything. Worked like a charm.
Helen (Antonia74) told me that once the shapes are cut out you can freeze them and then bake when ready by simply putting them in the oven straight from the freezer. Haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it's fabulous! She said they actually retain their shape better if baked straight from the freezer.
Good luck!
I always use the Wilton Sugar cookies recipe...NO waiting because NO chilling is required.. no waste of time...
I put 2 tsp of cinnamon in my no fail sugar cookies this past weekend along with 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp almond flavoring and they taste wonderful!!! The color darkened a tad, but they will still be fine to use with the royal icing for Valentine's Day. The consistency stayed the same too.
I mix the dough, and from the mixer, I put a plop of dough on parchment paper and place a piece of parchment paper on top and roll it out. I cut the cookies and leave them in place, I don't lift them out. Then I slide the rolled out dough (on the paper) onto a cutting board and stick it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. After a few minutes, I pull it out of the freezer and remove the cut-cookies from the dough and place them on my sheet for baking. If you look under the "How To's" in the purple box on the "home" page, you'll see Antonia's tutorial for better tips.
kos
This is exactly how I do it, too. By the time I get all the dough rolled out, I can start pulling the first one from the freezer and get them in the oven.
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