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Baking the Perfect Sugar Cookies

4/4/2018

16 Comments

 
Now that we have the royal icing out of the way in my last post, it’s time to give you what I know about baking the perfect sugar cookies! But here’s the thing - I don’t share my recipe... Why? Because I am still running a business and although I share a lot, it’s the one thing I choose to keep sacred. So how am I going to teach you about making cookies without a recipe you ask? Well, i’m a firm believer that it’s not just the recipe but HOW you prep and bake your dough - and I will link some popular recipes at the end for you to try out!

All dough recipes follow the same song and dance. You cream your butter and sugar first, and then add in the wet ingredients; eggs and flavouring. The flavour is really where you set yourself apart and there are SO many options. If your just a Basic Betty, use that vanilla you’ve got in the cupboard and play around later once you’ve got the rest down. Next, your going to combine this mixture with your flour, baking powder and salt. THIS part in important in regards to how much flour you are using. If you’re dough is turning out sticky, you need to up the amount of flour you are using. And if it’s coming out dry, back it up. You want your final texture to be like that of play doh and for your dough to pull from the side of mixing bowl leaving it clean. ​

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The dough should pull from the sides and leave your bowl clean!
Now some people swear buy cooling their dough and I did for a long time too. Then one day I thought, hmmm what will actually happen if I don’t? And guess what - it made ZERO difference and I cringe when I think back to all the time I spent refrigerating dough. So all I’m going to say is try it and see, life’s short! Ain't nobody got time for that!

​I LOVE the Joseph Joseph Rolling Pin for rolling out my dough. It has ends that screw off and you can use one of the 4 sets of discs that it comes with for rolling your dough to an even width. I roll the dough on parchment paper instead of flour so that it doesn’t dry out. You can also roll multiple times this way without it effecting how your cookies bake. I bake the cookies on a silicone baking liner as well and this part is also SUPER important. When you bake straight on the baking sheet, it gets greasy which leads to spreading. Baking on a liner (or parchment paper and replacing every time you bake a new batch) is going to reduce your spreading. These factors combined with using the levelling rolling pin is going to give you that perfectly shaped cookie for decorating!
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The Joseph Joseph Rolling Pin - available at multiple online sites.
I like to bake my cookies at a lower temperature of 390 degrees for about 8-12 minutes depending on the size (my recipe calls for 425 degrees). This is going to save your cookies from baking faster and potentially burning on the edges before the middles are fully baked through. Consider the baking sheets you are using as well - light or dark. Both bake differently. All ovens are different and it’s worth it to buy an oven thermometer to know what it’s actually baking at as opposed to what you have it set at. You’d be very surprised how different it may be!
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I’m going to link some popular recipes below. Any baking recipe is personal for each individual and what you use really depends on what you like, so experiment and find what works best for you. I hope these tips will also help you in getting that perfect cookie pallet for your decorating!
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Sweet Sugarbelle Sugar Cookie Recipe
allrecipes.com Sugar Cookie Recipe
16 Comments
Deanna Scharping link
4/5/2018 09:58:19 am

Great blog!! I also use the Joseph Joseph and it is such a key tool to have when making cookies. Quick question for you: do you use orange zest in your recipe? I’ve been thinking of adding it to my regular recipe, but I’m not sure how much to add.

Reply
Corianne
4/5/2018 02:41:34 pm

I couldn’t live without it!! I haven’t tried the orange myself but have hear that just one teaspoon goes a long way!

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Lulu
4/5/2018 12:38:02 pm

Nice Blog. Thanks for the tips. I use the same roller. Don't recall who I saw use it but decided I needed one in my life.

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Corianne
4/5/2018 02:42:00 pm

It’s the best!

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nani
4/15/2018 06:33:47 am

Not really a question dealing with the dough recipe as i have my own that i love lol but do you use a tilt or lift head mixer? I have a tilt and I feel like everytime i mix my dough in it, it sounds like its going to break.. ekkk!

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Leanne
4/26/2018 07:49:03 pm

Thank you so much for your post! I use your royal icing recipe and it’s fantastic!! I was using another one before I found yours, which was very good, but found that it turned hard too quickly, so once I found yours and tried out the added corn syrup, it made such a difference and I love it. I’m now going to start experimenting with my cookie recipe just to try out some new ones to see which I like the best. How long do you tell customers your cookies stay fresh for? I mainly see other cookiers posting 2 weeks, and wondered if that’s generally how long they should stay fresh for in they’re in a container or heat sealed bag. I also use a recipe that doesn’t call for baking powder and wondered if that made a difference in keeping cookies fresher, rather than the ones without baking powder. I’m still learning and just trying to figure out as much as I can while I test things out! ☺️

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Kat
4/26/2018 08:44:52 pm

Since following you on Instagram, and learning how my dough texture should be like, I became a fan! ---since then, I've nailed a good looking cookie everytime!! <3 You are such an inspiration to first time cookie decorators like me (hobbyist until I get confident to sell them), and sharing your talent and tips NEVER go unappreciated. Thank you so much!!!

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kim Barrett link
6/4/2018 11:52:20 am

I'm a happy new follower from Cakepops101. I feel like the biggest issue I hear over and over is about spreading and how to get those nice sharp edges your cookies have. What are your thoughts here? I do chill and yes it probably is a waste of time, because I still get a bit of spreading and boy do you really notice when your doing those basic round and rectangle shapes. Circles make me nuts, no two appear to bake the same :-( still so much room for improvement and love to have found your super sweet blog. Stop by Cakepops101 on fb or IG and say hello

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Cheela
7/20/2018 07:48:32 pm

Hello love your tips and your blog, you mentioned you bake your vookies at 390° , is this correct?

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Alissa
8/21/2018 05:17:21 am

Love all your tips! And love following you on Instagram!!! I’m also curious about your baking temp. You say that you bake at a lower temp of 390. Just curious bc a lot of recipes say bake around 350 and I would love to try out your temp to see how it works out :)

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Sadie
8/25/2018 10:28:24 am

Can you share a blog for beginners about getting started? All the basic essentials and ingredients for both icing and cookie?

Thank you!

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Sandy
8/28/2018 07:15:42 pm

Love your blog. Is the temperature different because you’re in Canada. Most recipes say to bake 350. I live in Texas, so what temperature should I bake? Also, how thick do you roll your cookies. I have the Joseph Joseph rolling pin.
Thank You so much!!

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Caitlin
10/19/2018 08:52:56 pm

Love your blog and watching your cookie videos! Do you have any tips to getting the cut cookies onto the cookie sheet. I always seem to mishape them during this step!

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Heather
12/15/2018 03:21:11 pm

Just want to say a BIG thanks for all your advice, tips,and recipe! I usually do cakes but love cookies! Certainly need more practice...love how you keep it real and are so helpful!

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Molly
1/25/2019 08:32:38 am

I recently bought the Jospeh Joseph roller and I love it! Which height do you use for your cookies? The red seems a little scant but the purple seems too thick compared to what I was rolling freehand. I wish there was an inbetween! Thank you!

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Aruna Ramkissoon
1/29/2019 09:25:09 pm

Hi Corianne,
I tried making some sugar cookies, mini ones and it was slighty browned around the edges and underneath the cookie, however the after cooling the inside looked undercooked. I place the cookies back into the oven for some more mins and there was no change. Any suggestions as to what might be the problem? thank you

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    Author

    Corianne Froese is the owner and operator of Corianne's Custom Cookies in Chestermere AB, Canada. When life as a wife and mom of two young boys allows, she loves to create and share her love of decorated cookies with others. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook for her most up to date work!

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