Smart Cookie

Diane Ridge, Freelance Contributor

September 18, 2007

9 Min Read

Diane Ridge

Fresh baked cookies continue to be best sellers in the bakery case, according to operators who spoke with FM. And their optimism for continued growth is echoed in the trade press.

In Modern Baking's 2007 Retail Bakery survey "cookies posted the largest gains of all bakery categories, 12% of total sales up from 9 percent in 2003." (Grocery store sales of bagged cookies, however, have had a modest decline.)

And according to Packaged Facts, the manufactured cookie market in the U.S. will reach $6.1 billion in 2010. Growth, they note, will be fueled by demand for premium ingredients, indulgent products and healthier versions—all the cookie trends onsite operators shared with us!

Drop Cookies
Quick and uncomplicated, follow these tips for simple dropped cookies.

1. Make sure the dough is slightly firm before dropping. If it's too soft or sticky, briefly refrigerate it.
2. For consistent size, use an ice cream scoop. If you're not sure it's the size specified in the recipe, measure the scoop capacity with water first. Also, dip the scoop into cold water between scoopings to ensure the dough releases every time.
3.To prevent cookies from spreading into each other, space them about 2 inches apart. Dough heavy with butter and those with little leavener may need more space. (Occasionally you may want the cookie to spread, as in pecan or oat lace or Tuile (French almond wafer) cookies. In this case, test bake a few. If the cookie is too thick, add a little liquid for more spreading. If too thin, add in a bit of flour to stiffen the dough.)
4. To prevent cookies from sticking together in storage, be sure to thoroughly cool them on wire racks (and better yet, separate them with parchment or waxed paper).

All cookies should be thoroughly cooled prior to packaging. If you store them warm, the steam from the cookies will condense inside the packaging, making them soggy, sticky, and encourage faster spoiling!

To keep cooled soft cookies moist, place a small piece of bread along with the cookies in zipper-lock bag. For dry, crisp cookies, store them in an air-tight container.

Rolled (cut-out) Cookies
More demanding than the drop cookie, rolled cookies can provide beautiful and whimsical results that are well worth the effort!

1. It is crucial to work with chilled dough. Mix the dough, chill it, then roll it out flat, chill again, then cut and bake. Decorate.
2. In order to avoid drying out the cookies, consider rolling out the dough between two sheets of very lightly floured parchment paper on a baking sheet—you will use less flour. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes before cutting or shaping. If you can easily press a finger into the dough, then it isn't chilled enough (there should barely be an imprint in perfectly chilled dough).
3. Cut out the shapes as close together as possible to avoid re-rolling scraps. This tends to toughen the dough.
4. Keep the cookie shape by transferring cookies with a spatula that is larger than the cutout cookie.

Sliced Cookies
Perfect for preplanned holiday events, rolled logs of cookie dough can be kept in the freezer, then sliced and baked as needed.

1. For uniform logs, use cold hands to form the dough into a rough log, then center it on parchment paper. Fold the paper over the dough. Using a ruler or bench scraper, firmly press the parchment against the dough (the side facing you) to form a uniform cylinder and to squeeze out air. Roll the parchment and twist the ends together to form a tight seal, then wrap in plastic wrap. Chill.
2.To keep the shape in a cramped refrigerator or freezer, slide the log into an empty cardboard paper towel tube before chilling. Log too thick? Cut along the length of the cardboard tube and wrap around larger dough logs.
3. For even slicing and uniform size, chill logs until very firm. Resist the temptation of slicing too early or the slices will be different sizes and rough edged. Use a sharp heavy knife to make clean cuts, wiping the blade between slices.
4. For logs with coatings on the sides (sanding sugar, nuts, coconut) brush the perimeter with water. This will help the coatings to adhere.

Hand-Shaped Cookies
These cookies begin with balls of dough that are then baked as is, formed into crescent or pretzel shapes, flattened into rounds with the bottom of a glass or hands, pressed down with the tines of a fork, or formed into logs, baked, cut, then baked again (biscotti).

The most important tip for these types of cookies is to handle the dough as little as possible. Warm hands can affect the texture of the cookies, particularly those with a high butter content.

A Healthier Cookie
Oats and oat-based products in general conjure up the idea of wholesomeness. Here's a recipe that takes this idea a step further.

Toothsome oats are combined with soybean oil (no trans fats here) for mouthfeel, prune puree for lowfat moistness, and brown rice syrup for natural sweetness!

Bar Cookies
Perhaps the easiest cookie to bake for large production, bar cookies can also be packaged quite nicely for retail sales and special events.

1.Use the pan specified in the recipe. Bar cookies baked in a pan larger than the size called for will overbake, be thin and have poor texture. If baked in a pan smaller than indicated it will take longer for the bars to cook through and/or result in either gummy or too "cakey" centers, and the edges may burn.
2. For easy removal, line the baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Place two sheets perpendicular to each other in the pan. Add the batter pushing it into the corners. After the bars have cooled, use the foil or paper to transfer them to a cutting board for easy slicing.