I'm A Lousy Baker

[C.Ann]

I can only wish I was a lousy cookie baker.. Spent all day baking Christmas cookies with my DGD - had to keep scolding DD & her DH because they were eating them as fast as we could make them - and guess what we're going to be doing all day tomorrow??

Baking more Christmas cookies!! I'm so tired I could cry, but DGD and I had a great time..

Another storm heading our way tomorrow, so it will be a perfect baking day - if I can get DD and her DH to keep their grubby hands off of the cookies as they're coming out of the oven.. Maybe I'll just have to send them to their room!

 

[RUDisney]

I can only wish I was a lousy cookie baker.. Spent all day baking Christmas cookies with my DGD - had to keep scolding DD & her DH because they were eating them as fast as we could make them - and guess what we're going to be doing all day tomorrow??

Baking more Christmas cookies!! I'm so tired I could cry, but DGD and I had a great time..

Another storm heading our way tomorrow, so it will be a perfect baking day - if I can get DD and her DH to keep their grubby hands off of the cookies as they're coming out of the oven.. Maybe I'll just have to send them to their room!

Spatulas are not only for getting cookies from tray to cooling rack... they are also for swatting the hands of the greedy cookie mongers who lurk in the kitchen while you're baking.

 

[C.Ann]

Spatulas are not only for getting cookies from tray to cooling rack... they are also for swatting the hands of the greedy cookie mongers who lurk in the kitchen while you're baking.

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Excellent idea - and doesn't splatter a lot of blood around like a rolling pin would..

 

[RUDisney]

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Excellent idea - and doesn't splatter a lot of blood around like a rolling pin would..

Now you're talking!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Get an oven thermometer. Your oven is off.

Buy an airbake cookie sheet.

Also I always stir in the flour instead of mix it with a mixer.

 

[wvdisluv2]

Get an oven thermometer. Your oven is off.

Buy an airbake cookie sheet.

Also I always stir in the flour instead of mix it with a mixer.

Three important things I will be buying/taking in to account (I DID use the mixer ) Thanks!!!

 

[RUDisney]

Get an oven thermometer. Your oven is off.

Buy an airbake cookie sheet.

Also I always stir in the flour instead of mix it with a mixer.

I use my mixer to incorporate the flour, but Mystery Machine is right in what she's doing. You want to be careful to just incorporate the flour. If you overmix it, it won't be as good. I think it releases the gluten by overmixing it, or something like that. Martha Stewart has harped about it on her show quite a few times.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I use my mixer to incorporate the flour, but Mystery Machine is right in what she's doing. You want to be careful to just incorporate the flour. If you overmix it, it won't be as good. I think it releases the gluten by overmixing it, or something like that. Martha Stewart has harped about it on her show quite a few times.

The original recipe said to STIR in the flour, not mix. It is a pet peeve of mine.

Also don't use butter if you don't like crisp cookies, use margarine.

Finally when you make the cookies, drop by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet.

When you bake make sure your oven is the right temp before putting in the cookies to bake.

You take them out when they are almost done, not "done" because they will continue to cook for a few mins. and hardened up.

8-9 minutes in the oven is all it takes.

 

[Desnik]

For those who bake a few days/week in advance of the holiday, how do you keep your cookies fresh? How do you store them? Someone told me to freeze them.

 

[txSleepingBeauty]

You're not alone! I'm also not a good baker! When you get desperate, remember that Pillsbury is your friend. If all else fails, give the slice and bake cookies a try. I think those were invented just for people like us!

The only "from scratch" cookies I will make this Christmas will probably be those peanut butter ones with the Hershey Kisses, and they are pretty foolproof.

Speaking of "foolproof," I'm a fudge flunkie too. There are so many "foolproof" fudge recipes floating around, and once they reach the likes of me then they need to scratch the word "foolproof" off the recipe card!

this is pretty foolproof: take one can of sweetened condensed milk, add one bag of chocolate chips. stir together in a double boiler until the chocolate is melted and fully mixed into the milk. stir it constantly. then pour into an 8x8 pan (preferably lined with parchment paper) spread it as much as you can and put it into the fridge to harden. Voila--fudge

it's hard to screw up. you can add nuts, or various extracts to change the flavor, just add them at the end. you could even mix in some crushed candy canes.

 

[C.Ann]

For those who bake a few days/week in advance of the holiday, how do you keep your cookies fresh? How do you store them? Someone told me to freeze them.

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I've never frozen a cookie in my life - and back when I still lived in my own house, I would bake for at least a week straight - all day, every day.. The cookies were placed in cookie tins (or plastic containers) and stored in a back bedroom of our house that was always colder than the rest of the house.. (My friend - who also baked for at least a week at a time - stored hers on her enclosed, unheated front porch..)

In 40 years I have never had a cookie taste "stale" or not "fresh" until after New Year's.. I personally hate the taste of cookies that have been frozen and then thawed out.. They just have an "odd" taste to them..

I baked all day today - and will bake all day again tomorrow.. The cookies are in sealed containers and will be stored in the one unheated garage here.. (The other two are heated..) There's really no need to freeze them as long as you have a "cool" place to store them (doesn't really need to be "cold")..

 

[mhsjax]

The best recipes that I've found have been on the back of generic chocolate chips. The Nestle recipe is always iffy for me, too.

Never had a problem with Nestle, but Gierdelli, (sorry spelling) that recipe is the bomb. My kids love it, it has about 1 cup more sugar in it. YUMMY. Also to the original poster, have you made this recipe before, cause I can bake, and there are some recipes that just don't turn out. So maybe it isn't your fault.

 

[Randi]

I've used the recipe on the back of the Nestles bag for years. (a batch a week, my kids didn't like store-bought cookies). I split the shortening into 1/2 real butter & 1/2 Crisco (butter flavored if available). All other ingredients & amts are as written. I bake them for 8 to 10 minutes & they are delicious. No hard edges, nicely rounded, & soft in the middle.

I do use the airbake cookie sheet. Love it, never a burnt bottom on a cookie.

Sometimes I change from the vanilla to orange or mint extract. Also delicious. My family loved them & so do my co-workers.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Ok...I should've taken the "sign" when I opened up the (old) flour and there were those little bugs But did I???? Noooooooo. Instead, I ran out and bought NEW flour, I followed the recipe to the "t" and STILL I ended up with a "pile" of chocolate chip errrrrr something. Raw in the middle, burnt on the edges, they kinda migrated to the middle of the pan to form..... ....oven temp was a perfect 375 degrees. For crying out loud, why???!?!!!


DH is heartbroken...oh well

Anyone else just a "lousy baker"?

First off, store your bag of flour in the refrigerator. It will last longer and you will never get those little bugs!

Second, buy a roll of parchment paper. (you can find this in the same aisle as foil and wax paper at the supermarket.)

If making Toll house chocolate chip cookies, use 1/2 BUTTER and the other 1/2 Crisco shortening. Cream together with the sugars. Add your eggs ONE AT A TIME until each egg is incorporated.
Add your dry ingredients (sifted flour, salt, baking soda)
Stir in the chocolate chips.
PLACE THE MIXING BOWL IN THE FRIDGE AND LEAVE IT THERE FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR. This will chill the fats in the dough.
Use a small round scoop or a couple of spoons, drop well rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment lined sheet pans in a 375º oven.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until lightly golden browned.

If you decide to just bake a small batch, cover the remaining dough with Saran Wrap or foil and place dough in fridge. It will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or for 3 months in the freezer.

 

[Maleficent13]

I dreamed about this thread last night. LMAO. I'm sorry your cookies didn't turn out.

Here's a no fail (really, I swear) dessert...

Melt 4 oz of butter in the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Spread graham cracker crumbs over it. Dump a bag of chocolate chips and a bag of butterscotch chips on top of that. Dump half a bag (or the whole thing if you want) of coconut over that. Pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over the whole thing, throw some nuts on top (your choice) and bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

Yummy, and no messing with flour/baking powder/glutens/etc.

 

[NMAmy]

You're not alone! I'm also not a good baker! When you get desperate, remember that Pillsbury is your friend. If all else fails, give the slice and bake cookies a try. I think those were invented just for people like us!

I usually make a bunch of from scratch cookies and throw in some slice and bake sugar cookies to fill out the plates when I give cookies as gifts. I haven't had a chance to make cookies this year and one of my student employees asked if I was bringing in those fabulous sugar cookies this year. I told him he could slice and bake 'em fairly easily himself.

this is pretty foolproof: take one can of sweetened condensed milk, add one bag of chocolate chips. stir together in a double boiler until the chocolate is melted and fully mixed into the milk. stir it constantly. then pour into an 8x8 pan (preferably lined with parchment paper) spread it as much as you can and put it into the fridge to harden. Voila--fudge

it's hard to screw up. you can add nuts, or various extracts to change the flavor, just add them at the end. you could even mix in some crushed candy canes.

I use this recipe, as well, but I skip the double boiler and just melt the chips really slowly over low heat in a regular pan and add a tbsp of vanilla extract at the end. It's actually really wonderful if you add raisins.

 

[disneygals]

Airbake cookie sheets DO make all the difference.

Sometimes it is your oven and not you. One year I made a birthday cake in my mil's oven and it came out so uneven and lumpy. Luckily the theme was Wizard of Oz, so it made a good yellow brick road.

I like to get the sugar cookie Pillsbury logs, cut in slices, then fourths, roll in colored sugar or sprinkles and then bake. Sometimes there is no time for fancy baking.

 

[RUDisney]

I usually make a bunch of from scratch cookies and throw in some slice and bake sugar cookies to fill out the plates when I give cookies as gifts. I haven't had a chance to make cookies this year and one of my student employees asked if I was bringing in those fabulous sugar cookies this year. I told him he could slice and bake 'em fairly easily himself.

You aren't supposed to give away those secrets. Last Sunday, we had our CCD Christmas party for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. My DS and DD decided they wanted to take cookies to the party. DS wanted to bake them himself. He was going to bake them from scratch, but he forgot about them until I remembered and called him at 9:15 Saturday night while we were out to dinner. He decided to take out the tub of Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie dough that I got at Sam's Club.

The next day at CCD, the other teachers were raving about his cookies. I never let on that he had cheated and used Pillsbury. He never corrected them either. We did make homemade chocolate chip cookies for Christmas, though.

Oh, and Desnik, I do the same thing that C.Ann does... cookie tins, tupperware, etc. This year I don't know where some of my lids ran off, so I used bowls and covered them with Glad Press and Seal. Everything is still holding up well and I'm sure they'll still be fress until the New Year. I store them in my unheated coat closet that's on my 1st floor.

 

[McDISer]

Making Christmas cookies was fun when my kids were little, but I refuse to bake anymore. I eat more than I should, my dh doesn't need them. I was just asked "when are you making cookies?" I didn't answer, I was afraid I would say something and a war would start.