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Secrets to Baking the Best Homemade Cookies

Beyond the Bag: Baking Secrets to Heavenly Homemade Cookies

There's something undeniably comforting about a warm, homemade cookie. But achieving that perfect balance of crisp edges, chewy centers, and rich flavor can sometimes feel like a mystery. Fear not, fellow bakers! With a few simple tips and tricks, your homemade cookies will be the star of the show.

Master the Ingredients

Temperature Matters: Most recipes call for room temperature butter and eggs. This ensures even creaming and prevents a greasy mess.
Measure Precisely: A kitchen scale is your best friend for accurate flour measurement. Scooping flour directly from the bag compacts it, leading to dry, dense cookies.
High-Quality Ingredients: Use pure vanilla extract, real butter, and fresh ingredients whenever possible. You'll taste the difference!

Mixing Magic

Creaming is Key: For those melt-in-your-mouth cookies, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This incorporates air, which leads to a rise and a delightful texture.
Don't Overmix the Dough: Once you've added the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in flour, resulting in tough cookies.
Chill Out: Many cookie doughs benefit from a rest in the fridge. This allows the flavors to meld and helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.

Baking Brilliance

Sheet Pan Savvy: Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking. Leave space between cookies to allow for spreading.
Rotate for Uniformity: For even browning, rotate your baking sheets halfway through the baking time.
The Golden Rule: Don't overbake! Cookies will continue to firm up as they cool. Look for golden brown edges and a slightly soft center.

Bonus Tip: Feeling adventurous? Play with add-ins! Chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, and even pretzels can take your cookies to the next level.

With these tips in your arsenal, you're well on your way to becoming a homemade cookie champion. So, preheat your oven, grab your favorite recipe, and get ready to bake up a batch of pure deliciousness!

Find my favorite cookie recipes here:

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Copycat Crumbl Golden Graham Cookies

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies

Cake Mix Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars

Mint Chocolate Chip S'mores

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Deepen Your Chocolate Fix with Espresso Cookies!

Calling all chocoholics and coffee lovers! This recipe for Chocolate Espresso Cookies is the perfect meeting of your two favorite indulgences. The rich, dark chocolate pairs beautifully with the subtle kick of espresso, creating a delightful flavor combination that's both sophisticated and satisfying.

These cookies are easy to whip up, requiring just a few bowls and common pantry staples. They're chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside, offering a textural contrast that's impossible to resist. Plus, with a touch of espresso powder in the dough, these cookies will give you a little afternoon pick-me-up alongside that decadent chocolate flavor.

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup of melted butter

½ cup of dark cocoa powder

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder

1 ½ cup of all purpose flour

1 teaspoons of baking soda

A pinch of salt

For rolling:

½ c sugar and 1 teaspoon of espresso powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add cocoa and maple syrup to melted butter.

Mix until well blended.

Add 1 cup of sugar, vanilla, and egg to the mixing bowl, and beat for 1 minute.

Add flour, baking soda , espresso powder and salt.

Stir until all ingredients are well blended.

Using a cookie scoop, form balls of dough.

Drop them one at a time into the espresso and sugar mix.

Roll each ball around until completely coated with sugar.

Place the dough balls 3” apart on the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

Tips for Success:

Don't overmix! Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing.
Chill the dough (optional): Chilling the dough for 30 minutes to an hour can help the cookies spread less and create chewier centers.
Play with the chocolate: Feel free to experiment with different types of chocolate, such as dark, milk, or white chocolate chips, or even chopped nuts.

The reward? A batch of irresistible Chocolate Espresso Cookies that are perfect for enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea, sharing with friends, or indulging in all by yourself.

So preheat your oven, grab your ingredients, and get ready to bake a batch of these delicious cookies. They're sure to become a new favorite treat!

I know you will agree the chocolate and espresso flavors blend perfectly together to make a great snack!

The beauty of these cookies lies in their simplicity. You won't need any fancy ingredients, and the process is quick and straightforward.

But don't be fooled by their ease – the espresso powder adds a surprising depth of flavor that will have you reaching for another (and another).

You can find more favorite cookie recipes here:

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Golden Graham Cookies

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies

Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies

Favorite Cookie Recipes

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an avid baker. Here are a few of my favorite Cookie recipe that you can find here on my site. These are great for the holidays or anytime you could use a homemade sweet treat. All of these recipes are made with simple ingredients and are so easy that anyone could recreate them at home.

Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Upgrade your next batch of sugar cookies by adding brown sugar and a hint of maple. The results are deeply delicious!

Get the recipe: Brown sugar cookies.

Golden Graham Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

If you like golden graham cereal, you will love these cookies! They are large, sweet and have a really great texture. These remind me of crumbl cookies, but are so easy to make!

Get the recipe: Golden graham cookies.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

This bar cookie recipe is so good! With a tender cream cheese cookie base, and loads of frosting, this is sure to be a favorite sweet!

Get the recipe: Cream cheese sugar cookie bars.

Cake Mix Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

This is such an easy and yummy cookie recipe! Make these with a cake mix and some peanut butter for a fast and flavorful option that is foolproof, even for those who don’t bake.

Get the recipe: Cake mix cookies.

Mint Chocolate Chip S’mores

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

This idea uses chips a hoy cookies, or your favorite homemade chocolate chip and makes them into the best s’mores! With a minty kiss you won’t be able to resist these gooey goodies!

Get the recipe: Mint chocolate chip s’mores.

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Grab some shortbread biscuits and dip them for an easy upgrade to a pre-packaged snack. Add nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever you like!

Get the recipe: Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

The combination of chocolate and cherries is perfect for the holidays, or anytime you need a chocolate fix. This recipe is a favorite with anyone who has the pleasure of sampling one.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.

Find more of my favorite cookie recipes here:

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Unique and Tasty Tiramisu Recipes

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

This is the best cookie recipe yet! It has juicy, sweet cherries baked into double chocolate chip cookie dough. Make these for the winter holidays like Christmas or Valentine's day. They are decadent, delicious and so easy! Let the kids help, or whip up a batch this afternoon to share with someone special.

I love everything about this recipe. It brings decadent chocolate cookie dough together with chocolate chips and juicy cherries! Drizzle chocolate over the top to set this cookie over the top!

Ingredients:

1 1⁄2 c all purpose flour

1⁄2 tsp baking soda

1⁄2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2 c sweetened condensed milk

1⁄2 c of granulated sugar

1 cup of mini chocolate chips

3⁄4 c softened butter

1⁄2 c cocoa powder

A pinch of salt

1 cup of maraschino cherries, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or a baking mat.

Drain the maraschino cherries and allow them to dry on a paper towel.

Slice the maraschino cherries in halves or quarters, your choice.

Mix butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add sweetened condensed milk and blend until creamy.

Add baking powder, baking soda and pinch of salt, mix until combined.

Add flour and blend until fully incorporated.

Add chocolate chips, chopped cherries and cocoa powder.

Mix for 30 seconds on medium speed until the cocoa is incorporated.

Use a cookie scoop to form balls of dough, and drop them 2” apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The tops should no longer look glossy.

Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

Drizzle with chocolate glaze when completely cool.

Remove and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This recipe makes about 18 cookies.

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup of milk chocolate chips

3 tablespoons of milk

2 cups of powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate chips over medium heat, using the double boiler method, or pop them in the

microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring frequently, until the chocolate stirs smooth.

Add the milk and stir.

Add the powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.

Drizzle over cookies and allow to cool and harden for 15 minutes.

Find more favorite cookie recipes here:

Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Golden Graham Cookies

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

The perfect fall cookie is easy to make in your home kitchen with this recipe for maple brown sugar cookies. This recipe creates cozy, warm cookies that are perfect to make and share. Bake a batch with the kids, or surprise someone special with a dozen. Everyone will love these maple brown sugar cookies.

I love to bake and share my creations with neighbors and friends. I have fallen head over heals for maple and brown sugar flavors so I knew I had to bake cookie that captured them perfectly. I feel like maple should be an official flavor of fall. What do you think?

This recipe starts with simple ingredients like butter, flour, sugar and Ohio maple syrup. It creates a cookie that is bakery quality. You are going to love the burst of buttery, maple flavor each bite offers.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 ⅓ cup flour

1 stick of softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup of sugar

1 large egg

⅓ cup of maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoon maple extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Cream butter and both sugars together. Beat for 2 minutes.

Add egg, continue to mix for 1 minute and then add maple syrup.

As you are mixing add the vanilla and maple extracts.

Begin adding the flour, baking soda, salt. During this step I like to switch from my mixer to a mixing spoon to stir as the dough will be very creamy and soft and a little sticky.

Chill in the refrigerator for 90 minutes.

When you remove the dough from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Use a cookie scooper to form balls of dough and place them on a cookie sheet, 2” apart.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

Icing Ingredients:

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons of milk

2 teaspoons of maple extract

Combine all the ingredients in your mixer and blend over low speed until smooth.

Drizzle over cooled cookies.

These are so good with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. They feel warm and cozy long after they have cooled off.

I am sure you will agree this maple brown sugar cookie recipe has a great crumb and a delectable buttery vibe going on that makes them perfect.

If 3 dozen cookies sounds like too much for you to eat, you can freeze this recipe. Just scoop the dough into balls onto a cookie sheet. Pop it in the freezer for 2 hours or so until the dough is frozen, from there you can place the frozen cookie dough into a freezer bag. Mark the bag with time that they need to bake and the time to bake. Then you can pull a few cookies out as needed.

You are sure to love these maple brown sugar cookies as much as my family does.

Find more great recipes here:

Golden Graham Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Mouth Watering Meringue Cookie Recipes

If you need a special cookie to make, then let me suggest meringues! They are so much fun to bake and share, and there are so many ways you can make them! Who knew there were so many tasty recipes out there?!

After looking up these recipes from some of my favorite bloggers, I knew I had to share these with you! Click thru the links to get the full recipe and start baking some tasty treats for yourself. While you are here you might want to check out some of my favorite cookie recipes.

Everyone loves these Golden Graham cookies! They are so easy to make and taste even better than Crumbl!

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bar Cookies are perfect for a crowd.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies come from a cake mix and have a great crumb!

Now, onto these mouthwatering meringues!