Christmas cookies

Do you know what the best thing about the holiday season is? Dessert. More specifically, cakes and cookies! I’m sure a lot of you are planning on doing some baking this holiday season or at least know someone in your family who is. If you’re planning on skipping out on the baking, you should really reconsider! It’s tons of fun and creates lots of great memories! Now, if you are planning on baking, you probably want to make pretty nice treats for your family and friends, or just for you to admire. To do this, it’s important to follow the instructions thoroughly. However, sometimes the recipe doesn’t list all the tips and tricks or skills you need before starting! Because of this, I have compiled a list of tips and tricks that you can utilize for your holiday baking! These will help your desserts turn out better and reach their full potential! 

  • How to Get Butter to Soften Quicker: “Oh no, I forgot the butter!” - This is a common mistake, and that’s coming from a baker. You get so wrapped up in other things that you forget to take the butter out of the fridge! An easy way to soften it quickly is to put it in the microwave for about 5-7 seconds. You can also cube it into small pieces so that it softens quicker!

  • How to Have Your Cookies Ready on Time: During the holidays, people are busy and don’t have all the time in the world to bake for an upcoming event. This can present a problem when your friends and family decide to request ten different kinds of cookies! One way you can solve this dilemma is by making your cookies beforehand and freezing them! They will stay good in the freezer until you need them! Then, you just thaw them out, and no one will ever know. Plus they’ll taste just as amazing!

  • How Get Puffy Cookies: Instead of just rolling out your cookie dough, you can roll the dough into logs, wrap them in plastic, and then chill them! After they have chilled, take them out and just cut the logs, almost as if you were using pre packaged dough from your local grocery store! This works because the outside edges of the cookie will bake while the middle thaws, making your cookie fluffy and delicious!

  • How to Deal With a Frosting Mishap/Disaster: First and foremost, it’s always important to make sure that you completely cool your cake/cookies before you add frosting. If you add it too early, the frosting will melt or even slide right off! Another thing to consider is the texture of the frosting itself. If it is too runny, add more powdered sugar to thicken it, and if it is too thick, add some heavy cream/milk to fix it! 

  • How to Bake Efficiently: Make sure to take your time! Unless you’re in a competition, there is no reason to rush! It is important to level and measure your ingredients accordingly and to make sure that you keep track of what you’re throwing into the bowl! One way to keep organized is to cross off each ingredient after you add it so that you make sure that you don’t forget to add anything. I’m sure it would not be nice to find out that you had left out the sugar in your chocolate chip cookies!

  • How to Get “Perfectly-Shaped” Cookies: Ever wonder how bakers get their cookies to all come out looking the same way? Well, it’s not a special hand that allows them to roll out identical pieces of dough! Chances are, they probably use some type of scooper. An ice cream scooper works the best when making christmas cookies because it saves you time and makes the cookies look professional and impressive!

  • Helpful Bakers Knowledge: 1 tbsp(tablespoon) = 3 tsp(teaspoons); ¼ cup = 4 tbsp; ⅓ cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp; 1 pint = 2 cups;  2 pints = 1 quart; 4 quarts = 1 gallon.

  • How to Get Good Textured Cakes: Don’t overmix or undermix. You should make sure that your batter is mixed fully, but do not go overboard and mix it much more. This could cause your cake to start sinking when in the oven.

Here’s a Helpful Chart!

It’s about time to get baking!!