Those of you that make several different kinds of Christmas cookies...

[marshallandcartersmo]

how do you afford it!?!?

Let me start by saying I'm a bad cook and a horrible baker. I tried to make the Tollhouse cookies from scratch a few months ago and they were flatter than a pancake and totally undercooked (I followed the recipe! I know I did!!).

Anyway, I would love to make tons of cookies, and have been reading threads from people that make several different kinds. But how do they do it?? Just several main ingredients that interchange w/different recipies??

Several "bagged" pouches of cookies (Betty Crocker bagged sugar cookies I CAN do )?

One "staple" dough and you add different things to it for each cookie??

Just seems expensive to me.

 

[Marionnette]

how do you afford it!?!?

Let me start by saying I'm a bad cook and a horrible baker. I tried to make the Tollhouse cookies from scratch a few months ago and they were flatter than a pancake and totally undercooked (I followed the recipe! I know I did!!).

Anyway, I would love to make tons of cookies, and have been reading threads from people that make several different kinds. But how do they do it?? Just several main ingredients that interchange w/different recipies??

Several "bagged" pouches of cookies (Betty Crocker bagged sugar cookies I CAN do )?

One "staple" dough and you add different things to it for each cookie??

Just seems expensive to me.

I buy the staple ingredients whenever I find them on sale in the month leading up to cookie baking week. I got gold medal flour for ninety nine cents per five pound bag last month. I got dominos sugar for $1.99 last week at walgreens with the in ad coupon and internet coupons combined. I get eggs at target when they go on sale for 99 cents a dozen, and butter with a coupon was under two dollars for a pound. I have a basic sugar cookie dough that can be cut out and frosted, tinted and rolled in to a spiral then sliced or I can sandwich cutouts using different jams and then finishing them off with powdered sugar or chocolate drizzle. In all there are about seven different cookies that I make from the one kind of dough.

 

[maslex]

Usually if I'm going to do a ton of different cookies, this is what I would do...

A couple months before I bake everything, I will make a list of all the cookies/bars/desserts that I'll be making. Then I will make a bigger list of ALL the ingredients that I would need. I then cross off what I already have and that will leave a list of everything that I will need to buy.

I then will pick up a few things each week while doing my grocery shopping (I will watch for sales & use coupons) Doing it this way it doesn't seem as "expensive" as it would if you did one big shopping (even though it still costs the same LOL) Then by the time the big baking weekend comes, I have everything on hand and we're good to go.

 

[NotUrsula]

I tried to make the Tollhouse cookies from scratch a few months ago and they were flatter than a pancake and totally undercooked (I followed the recipe! I know I did!!).

... But was your baking powder from a brand-new can, or one that had been sitting in the pantry for awhile?

Baking is chemistry. If you want it to work right, you have to pay attention to the chemical reaction issues. For good cookies, new baking powder is essential, because old baking powder (and to a lesser extent, old baking soda) will not react properly for good consistency.

As to affording it, it's a fairly expensive proposition, but it's cheaper than the fruitcakes that I used to make. (I love fruitcake, and I make excellent ones, but most Americans just won't touch them on principle these days.)
I watch the sales and stock up on the ingredients at the best price that I can, but it's still an investment. Enough ingredients for 20 dozen usually sets me back close to $60. I don't put them in tins, however -- I buy the square gift boxes and put them in baggies inside those.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

If you have the space.... I do mine for a few months ahead of time. Then you could do each one as you have the money or ingredients. I make the dough, put it on the trays just like I'm going to bake it, and put the tray in the freezer. Once froze I put the unasked cookies in a bag. I love this since I can have fresh baked cookies for any time during the holidays. We have several parties over about 2 weeks and cookies just don't last that long!
As for your choc chip...i add 1/4 cup of flour to the nestle one and I found dark cookie sheets I need to lower the temp tp 325 and cook longer, like 18 min or so. They are not flat any more!

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

... But was your baking powder from a brand-new can, or one that had been sitting in the pantry for awhile?

Baking is chemistry. If you want it to work right, you have to pay attention to the chemical reaction issues. For good cookies, new baking powder is essential, because old baking powder (and to a lesser extent, old baking soda) will not react properly for good consistency.

As to affording it, it's a fairly expensive proposition, but it's cheaper than the fruitcakes that I used to make. (I love fruitcake, and I make excellent ones, but most Americans just won't touch them on principle these days.)
I watch the sales and stock up on the ingredients at the best price that I can, but it's still an investment. Enough ingredients for 20 dozen usually sets me back close to $60. I don't put them in tins, however -- I buy the square gift boxes and put them in baggies inside those.

I'm sure you are EXACTLY right!! Like I said, I'm not a good cook, and a crappy baker.....I can't tell you the last time I bought baking powder. I'm sure it's OLD. Thanks for the tip!!!