For the Ultimate Cookie Recipes:
1) Make cookies the same size and thickness to ensure uniform baking.
2) Bake only one sheet of cookies at a time in the center of the oven.
3) Check cookies every 5 minutes or so starting about 5 minutes before the
recommended baking time (they burn quickly).
4) Remove baked cookies immediately from the cookie sheet with a wide
spatula, unless the recipe tells you differently.
5) Place cookies on a wire rack until completely cool.
6) Clean and cool cookie sheets before reusing , or cookies may stick to
sheet or spread too much.
7) Use a shiny, flat cookie sheet at least two inches smaller than the oven
rack. Cookies may not brown evenly if cookie sheet is warped.
8) Grease the cookie sheet only if directed in the recipe, using solid
vegetable shortening or nonstick cooking spray (don't use butter, margarine, or
oil) .
9) To prevent the dough from sticking to cutters, dip cookie cutters in
flour between cutting cookies.
10) Roll cookies out on waxed paper covered countertop. To keep the paper
from slipping, sprinkle a little water on the countertop first
Use the freshest ingredients. Baking soda and powder tend to go stale when
they're left sitting around too long. Use butter instead of margarine. Don't
use eggs that have been sitting in the fridge for ages.
Make sure you have all the ingredients before you start, there's nothing
worse then getting right into baking cookies only to discover you've run out of
a key ingredient.
I find it helpful to take out all the ingredients and place them on the
counter before I start, then as soon as they're used in the recipe, I
immediately put them away. This solves the problem of "Did I already put
in the salt? I can't remember"