Cookies made perfect

CHEF MOM / Adoree Chong-Uy

The past few weeks have led us to a lot of questions about cookies, specifically drop cookies and rolled cookies. We have compiled some of them that we deem commonly experienced by a lot of bakers.

Making cookies are actually easy, but can be tricky. The dough is made relatively soft, and arranged on the cookie sheet. During baking, the mounds of dough spread out and flatten. This is what gives us the round, crisp-on-the-outside-but-chewy-on-the-inside and succulent masterpiece that we enjoy with our milk or coffee, one that’s perfect for snacks or dessert.

Question No. 1: I am a mother of three boys with big appetites. I cook for them and bake their favorite desserts, and chocolate-chip cookies are one of them. My concern is: Why are my cookies sometimes flatter than usual? What can I do to make sure my cookies get a nice mound after baking each time I make them?—Joyce Pamintuan of Makati City

I salute mothers like you who really take the time to make their kids’ snacks from scratch, and not resorting to just buying them from stores. Joyce, check your oven temperature by putting an oven thermometer when you are baking, to make sure the temperature is not too low for your cookies. A low oven temperature will make the cookies spread out due to the fat (or butter) melting first before the cookies set, thus, making them flat.

It will also help to chill the dough before baking, to make sure the butter is firm enough not to pre-melt and make the dough too soft before baking. Thanks for inspiring mothers like myself with your dedication to your kids.

Question No. 2: Hi Chef Mom! I am a “home-baker,” and I make cookies, like oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate crinkles, chocolate-chip cookies and thumbprint cookies. My question is: Why are my oatmeal raisin cookies crumbly? I am getting feedback that the cookies turn dry, too. What to do, please?—Maia San Carlos of Quezon City

Hi Maia. If your recipe calls for creaming of the butter (or any fat) with the sugar, try limiting the time of the creaming until the butter just starts to lighten its color. Overdoing the creaming method will include too much air into the mixture and will result in cookies that are too crumbly. Second, measure your ingredients, especially flour, by weighing and not measuring with the use of a measuring cup. This will ensure that you do not end up adding excess flour, which will cause your cookies to turn not only crumbly, but also dry.

Question No. 3: Why don’t my cookies expand or spread out at all? They looked exactly like how I put them in the oven.—Cel Esguerra of Marikina City

Thank you for e-mailing us, Cel. I was hoping you included the recipe in your e-mail. Anyhow, generally, if the cookies did not expand or spread out at all, the culprit is usually the addition of too much flour. The flour is what gives structure to a baked product. In your case, it had too much of it, so the structure was really dominant. Try doing the measuring by weighing to ensure a more accurate measurement. If it still ends up the same, try reducing the amount of flour by 25 grams, then gradually adjust until you get your desired outcome.

You may also reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit to give the fat in your cookies time to melt before the cookies set. Finally, if you are shaping the cookie dough, flatten it a little before baking to help form the dough in that shape. Good luck, Cel.

Question No. 4: I prefer chewy cookies that crispy ones. How can I make sure that I’ll always have chewy cookies? I love how Mrs. Fields cookies are so chewy each time I buy from them.—Emy Martinez of Manila

Hi Emy. The secret to chewy cookies is to not overbake the cookie dough. Underbake it a little by just baking it until the sides start to set while the center is still a bit soft.

There is such a thing as residual heat. When you take out the cookies from the oven, they are still hot, so they still continue to “bake” and set as they cool down.

Adding a little invert sugar, like glucose, honey or light corn syrup, also helps in the texture of the cookies, making them chewy.

Question No. 5: Can I just use artificial sweeteners to make my cookies sugar-free? How do I go about it?—Tere Mercado of Parañaque City

For sugar-free cookies, if you just substitute the sugar with an artificial sweetener, the end product will be drier and not as brown as regular cookies. You see, sugar not only sweetens the baked product, but also moistens it and helps in its browning. In order to maintain moistness and color, some adjustments will have to be made to the recipe. I suggest you find sugar-free recipes that had already been tested to guide you.

Please keep those questions about baking coming as we reveal more oven secrets! Send an e-mail to chefmom.tmm@gmail.com. Happy baking!