Cookies are among the world’s most loved sweet treats.
Easy to prepare and bake, most people start their home baking journeys with cookies.
Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience, you probably realize that cookies are easy to get started with but difficult to master.
If you want the very best cookies, you’ll need to know how to control the texture and firmness.
Hard cookies are great in some cases, but you might want softer cookies on some occasions.
Some people prefer soft and gooey, so overall preference is something to consider.
If you can learn what makes a cookie hard or soft, then you can master any recipe.
Here are the tips that you need to become the best home baker you can be.
The Sugar You Use in Your Cookies
While baking time is important, the first thing you want to consider when making hard or soft cookies is the type of sugar that you use.
Sugar liquefies when it is heated, and then hardens again when it cools.
When you bake cookies, the sugar breaks down, but it still contributes to the overall texture.
The type of sugar you use will affect the texture of your cookies.
- White sugar results in harder cookies. This sugar is refined and contains less moisture than brown or raw varieties of sugar. If you want crisp and crunchy cookies, then white sugar is the way to go.
- Brown sugar contains more moisture content as well as a more robust flavor. It is still sweet but introduces some caramel and earthier tasting notes. Because it has more moisture, it will result in softer cookies after baking. If you prefer some chew in your cookies, rather than crunch, then brown sugar is the best option. This Organic Light Brown Sugar contains molasses and moisture for flavor and softer cookies.
You can substitute white and brown sugar in recipes with a 1:1 ratio.
Try your favorite cookie recipes with different sugar and see how the firmness changes.
You’ll get an idea of what you prefer.
You can even mix the two to find the perfect blend for your preference.
Don’t Mix Your Cookies Too Much
What Makes a Cookie Hard or Soft?Cookie dough contains flour, which develops gluten strands when it is mixed.
The more you mix the dough, the harder your cookies will be.
This is true even if you use brown sugar.
The dough should be mixed just enough so that all the ingredients are combined.
Once you have a consistent dough, you can stop mixing and move on to the baking process.
Pay Attention to Cooking Times
If you bake your cookies for too long, more moisture will be lost, resulting in harder cookies.
If you want them to be softer, then cut a few minutes from the baking time.
This might call for some trial and error because every recipe is a little different.
You should also bake your cookies at the right temperature.
375°F is the ideal temperature for cookies.
Although it’s relatively high, it will cook the dough quickly, so the cookies will be exposed to hot air for a shorter period.
Most cookies bake within around seven minutes, although recipes can vary.
Follow your recipe closely, and remember that you can cut a few minutes for soft cookies, or add a few minutes for harder cookies.
Remember to remove your cookies from the oven immediately and rest them on a tray so that they don’t overcook with residual heat.
This Stainless Steel Baking Sheet Tray Set includes baking sheets, racks for cooling, and nonstick mats with guides for perfect cookies every time.
Paying attention to the sugar you choose, mixing, and the cooking time will help you to control whether your cookies are hard or soft.
With practice, you’ll make the perfect cookies every time.