8 tips to make the perfect cookie every single time

What is a perfect cookie?

Before you begin baking, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. What are we looking for in a cookie? What makes it perfect? 

• Firstly, it has a rich flavour. Which means using the finest ingredients. Think high-quality butter, fresh eggs, and superb chocolate. 

• Secondly, it has a great texture. Whether it’s soft, crispy, crumbly, or fudgy depends on the type of cookie of course – but more about that later on. 

• And last but not least, it looks delicious. Golden-brown, evenly-shaped, and with the desired texture.

Drooling already? Great, then you probably can’t wait to start baking. Give these 8 tips a careful read, and go for it! 

1. Use fresh, quality ingredients 

Take your cookies to the next level with high-quality butter and fresh, room temperature eggs. Make sure you weigh all of your ingredients, including the eggs, accurately. Have you ever wondered how to make your own butter? Follow this butter recipe and learn how it’s done.

2. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately first, then add them together 

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, then cream together the butter, sugar and eggs in another. Once this is done, you can gradually mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Be careful not to overmix – you don’t want to end up with tough cookies! Luckily, there are some mixing tips and tools to help you avoid rock-solid bakes. But more about that later on... 

3. Respect their chill time

Most of the classic doughs – especially the butter-based ones – love a good chill in the fridge before you shape and bake them. This way, the dough won’t spread in the oven. An hour or so of chill time will do. 

4. Give your cookies enough space

Once chilled, it’s time to flatten your cookie dough. So, flour your surface, then press the dough down with your hands, or a rolling pin if you want things more even. Keep doing so, until you’ve reached the desired thickness. You could also use a scoop to make little dough balls. Make sure you place your uncooked cookie dough far enough apart on a cookie sheet so that they don’t melt together in the oven. 

5. Line your baking sheet and preheat the oven

Are your cookies shaped and ready to bake? Perfect. But don’t pop them in the oven just yet! Take in these two small tips first – they’ll make a huge difference. 

• Preheat your oven. Make sure it’s at the right temperature before you slide in your cookie sheet. This way, your cookies will set quickly and keep their shape.

• Line your cookie sheet with baking paper to prevent your cookies from sticking to the sheet. There’s nothing worse than seeing your beautiful bakes break into pieces because they’ve stuck to the tray. 

6. Reshape your cookies after they’re baked

Did you set your sights on perfectly round homemade cookies? Reshape them after they’re baked. Use a round cookie cutter if you have one. But if you don’t, use a glass instead. Find one that’s more or less the same size as your cookie. As soon as they come out of the oven, carefully place the cookie cutter or glass over the cookie and spin it around to perfect the round shape. 

7. Use the right tools

Making a large batch of dough at once? Or need your cookies to turn out amazing? It’s so much easier with the right tools. Your KitchenAid Stand Mixer helps you make the perfect cookies every single time. It’s a baker’s best friend. And so are these attachments and tools. 

KitchenAid attachments  

• Paddle Attachment

Want your cookies to turn out soft and tender? Then use the Paddle Attachment to cream the butter and sugar together properly. The Paddle Attachment will also help mix the dry ingredients evenly. 

• Pastry Beater

Some cookies – like the shortbread in this cookie bucket list for instance – require rubbing the butter and flour together. That’s a task for your Pastry Beater. Crumbly cookies, here you come.

• Flex Edge Beater

No ingredient gets left behind if you team up with the Flex Edge Beater. By scraping the sides of the bowl, it makes sure every ingredient gets mixed in consistently. This way, you’ll be less likely to overwork your dough and pull rock-solid cookies out of the oven.  

• Mixer Whisk

If the cookie recipe requires whisked egg whites, leave it to the Mixer Whisk to get them all light and airy. Stiff peak stage is just a whisk away. And so is any type of meringue cookie you want to have a go at.

• Cookie Press

Are you planning to make a big batch of long-shaped cookies? The cookie press attachment may come handy. It is compatible with meat grinder attachment, and available in 5 different shapes.

Other useful tools 

• Kitchen scales

When it comes to baking, don’t attempt to wing it. Not even a little. A bit too much flour or just not enough butter can mess up your entire batch of cookies. So, get your scales out and measure every ingredient to the gram. 

• Cookie scoop

Using a cookie scoop is a win-win. You’ll make less of a mess getting your dough onto the baking plate, and your cookies will be more or less the same size. 

• Cookie sheet

There’s one big difference between a cookie sheet and a baking sheet or tray: a cookie sheet doesn’t have high edges. It’s quite handy, because your cookies will slide right off. 

• Marble rolling pin 

If you love baking cookies, add a marble rolling pin to your kitchen wish list. Marble is a naturally cool material. It helps to prevent the butter in the dough from getting too soft. 

• Cookie tin

You can’t bake perfect cookies and then not store them properly. So put them in an airtight container or a metal biscuit tin once they’re cooled. This way, air and moisture can’t get to them, and they won't go stale. 

8. Know what affects your cookies’ texture and flavour

Did you know that brown sugar makes your cookies soft and chewy, whereas coarse sugar gives them a crunch? It’s true, some ingredients affect your cookies’ taste and texture more than others. But if you know which ones, you’re one step closer to making the perfect cookie.  

• Crispy

Are you a fan of crispy cookies and their wonderfully crunchy texture? Make sure to use coarse sugar and bake them just a tad longer. 

• Chewy

The secret to soft and chewy cookies? Using ingredients like brown sugar, maple syrup or honey. 

• Crumbly

Crumbly cookies break apart the moment they touch your tongue. If you want to recreate this melt-in-your-mouth effect, make sure your dough has a higher butter to flour ratio. Added bonus? It adds a rich, buttery taste to your cookies as well. 

• Soft

If a cookie is tender and soft inside and out, it’s all thanks to ingredients like softened butter, soft brown sugar, and eggs. If they’re on the ingredients list, you know you’re in for a comforting treat. 

17 delicious cookie recipes to try at home. And yes, chocolate chip cookies are one of them. 

Feeling more confident already? Great. Now that you’ve learned how to make the perfect cookies, it’s time to bake them. In the mood for chewy chocolate chip or crisp meringue cookies? Either way, try one of these 17 delicious cookie recipes. You’ll win over your friends’ hearts every single time.