Shape And Size?

Baking By Sarah2418 Updated 15 Nov 2011 , 2:18pm by GeminiRJ

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Sarah2418 Posted 15 Nov 2011 , 4:04am
post #1 of 5

How do you keep the cookie's the same size and shape they are as when you cut them? I love the shape and size they are before I bake them, but after they're baked they're too big and not the shape I want. Thanks.

4 replies
Momofjaic Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Momofjaic Posted 15 Nov 2011 , 4:35am
post #2 of 5

Have you tried the no fail sugar cookies that are in the recipe section here? They don't spread.

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heyjules Posted 15 Nov 2011 , 4:36am
post #3 of 5

Make sure your dough is well chilled. Don't put it on hot cookie sheets either. Some recipes spread more than others...it took me awhile to find one that I love. I use less baking powder than called for too. When mine do spread too much, I let the design of the icing define the shape of the cookie, and not the cookie itself.

abryuak Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
abryuak Posted 15 Nov 2011 , 7:17am
post #4 of 5

This might look like a history to you but I am telling you the whole of the process how to bake nice cookie and yes very much in same shape.
1.Measure Flour Correctly!
This is the most important tip for any baker. Adding too much flour will make your baked goods tough and dry. And be sure to not overwork the dough; mix just until the flour disappears. I was watching Everyday Italian on the Food Network, a show that I love, and one of Giada's guests brought Starlight Mint Cookies to a cookie exchange. I could tell by the look of the cookie when she broke it open that too much flour was used; it was dry and hard.
2.Reduce Flour by 1/4 Cup
I like to reduce the flour amount in most cookie recipes by 1/4 cup to make the most tender cookies that do not dry out even after several days. To be able to handle the dough, see the next tip:
3.Chill the Dough Before Baking
Chilling the dough helps softer doughs keep their shape and makes the dough easier to work with. I find that chilling the dough improves the flavor and allows the dough to relax a bit.
4.Use a Silicone Rolling Pin
With this new rolling pin, you won't have to use as much flour when rolling out doughs and your cookies will be more tender. You can also purchase a Marble Rolling Pin and chill it to keep the dough cold while you're working with it. Or use a Rolling Pin Cover and Cloth. You won't have to use as much flour with these cloth accessories. Rub flour into the rolling pin cover (also called a stockinette) and the cloth that is placed on the work surface, and the dough won't stick. Using a combination of powdered sugar and flour to dust the work surface will also help keep the cookies more tender. Also think about purchasing Rolling Pin Rings that you wrap around the pin so your dough is an even thickness and all the cookies bake at the same time.
5.Use an Oven Thermometer
Be sure that your oven is accurate with a thermometer, then bake cookies at a slightly lower temp. The instructions for your stove or oven will tell you how to adjust the heat if necessary. I have a digital oven, so when a recipe calls for a 350 degrees F oven, I set the temperature to 345 degrees F. This small reduction in temperature ensures the cookies won't overbake and overbrown, especially on the bottom. With each batch of cookies, the baking time will be reduced because of the increased humidity in the oven from the cookies.
6.Soften Butter Properly
It's difficult to soften butter properly in a microwave oven; too often part of the butter melts, which will change the structure of the cookies. Butter and sugar form the basic structure of the cookies; the sugar cuts small air pockets into the butter, which are stabilized by the flour and filled with C02 from the baking powder. Soften butter by letting it stand at room temperature for a couple of hours. You can also grate the butter into a bowl, then it will soften in a few minutes.
7.Freeze Dough
Making and freezing doughs ahead of time not only is a great time saver, but it improves the texture of the cookies. Icebox cookies are shaped into a log, wrapped, and chilled or frozen until it's time to bake. You can form drop cookie dough into balls and freeze; bake from the frozen state, adding a few minutes to the baking time. This technique also lets you make all the doughs one day, then take another day for the fun part: baking and decorating!
8.Use Fresh Ingredients
Make sure that all of your ingredients are fresh. Buy new baking powder and baking soda, vanilla and spices, flour and sugar. Most of us don't bake often during the year, and it's a good bet that your ingredients are more than a year old. You're putting a lot of effort and heart into these cookies: start with the best ingredients!
9.Baking Times
I set the timer for 2-3 minutes less than the cooking time called for in the recipe. I take the cookies out of the oven just as they're beginning to look done because the residual heat from the cookie sheet will continue to bake the cookies. Also, slightly underbaked cookies are more tender and moist.
10.Insulated Cookie Sheets and Cookie Scoops
I adore the insulated sheets my sister gave me for Christmas. One of the biggest problems with delicate doughs is they can get too brown on the bottom. Insulated sheets prevent that so your cookies turn out perfectly every time. And using cookie scoops means your cookies will all be exactly the same size.

GeminiRJ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
GeminiRJ Posted 15 Nov 2011 , 2:18pm
post #5 of 5

I made some cookies for my niece's wedding a couple years ago, and I needed the cookies to be the exact size after baking as they were before in order to fit in the bags. So I re-cut them 7 minutes into the baking process and then returned them to the oven for another 4 minutes. You need to work quickly, especially since the cutter will get very warm! But it worked great! You can wait and re-cut them after the entire baking process, but there will be more crumbs.

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