The Key to Making the Best Holiday Cookies

‘Tis the season to put your baking skills to the test with holiday cookies. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or never touched an oven in your life, these tips from professional chefs are sure to help you make the perfect cookies this holiday season.

Before even placing your cookies in the oven, probably one of the most important things you can do is allocate time for the dough to properly sit. Try letting the dough sit for at least two hours before baking. On the other end, let your cookies sit for five minutes before transferring them from the baking sheet. This will allow the cookies to “set up”.

Let your dough firm up in the freezer or fridge. Scoop and freeze the dough before baking. Chilled dough is always best but it may be more difficult to scoop. The amount of time required will vary depending on the dough and the cookies you’re trying to make, so do research beforehand on what is best.

When it comes to making the cookies themselves, less is more sometimes. Cut back on the different kinds of cookies you are trying to tackle at once. There are many varieties you can make with the same dough base to make things less complicated.

Having the right tools in the kitchen can make all the difference. A bench knife can be used to slice dough and cut butter into flour. Try obtaining different sized cookie scoops, a small offset spatula and a baking mat.

Sources: Insider