Betty Crocker Kitchens. - Betty Crocker cookies: irresistibly easy recipes for any occasion

GENERAL MILLS

Global Business Solutions Director: Heather Polen

Global Business Solutions Manager: Andrea Kleinschmit

Executive Editor: Cathy Swanson Wheaton

Recipe Development and Testing: Betty Crocker Kitchens

Photography: General Mills Photography Studios and Image Library

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT

Editorial Director: Deb Brody

Executive Editor: Anne Ficklen

Associate Editor: Sarah Kwak

Senior Managing Editor: Marina Padakis Lowry

Art Director: Tai Blanche

Cover and Interior Design: Tai Blanche

Senior Production Coordinator: Kimberly Kiefer

Copyright 2019 by General Mills, Minneapolis, Minnesota. All rights reserved.

The HERSHEYS KISSES trademark and trade dress and the Conical figure and plume device are used under license.

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Crocker, Betty, author. | Betty Crocker Kitchens.

Title: Betty Crocker cookies : irresistibly easy recipes for any occasion. Other titles: Cookies

Description: Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. | Series: Betty Crocker cooking | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019002546 (print) | LCCN 2019003101 (ebook) | ISBN 9780358118152 (ebook) | ISBN 9780358118190 (paper over board)

Subjects: LCSH: Cookies. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.

Classification: LCC TX772 (ebook) | LCC TX772 .C695 2019 (print) | DDC 641.86/54dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019002546

Cover photo:

eISBN 978-0-358-11815-2
v1.0819

Dear Cookie Lover,

Baking cookies is magical! Its amazing how the aroma of freshly baked cookies draws those we love to the kitchen and keeps them there a little longer or sends them off with a delicious, heartwarming, edible hug.

Inside youll find recipes for every occasion, whether you want to add a sweet surprise to a lunchbox, are baking for the holidays or want a yummy treat when its too hot to turn on the oven. From simple to decadent, these delicious cookies will be devoured.

Well show you how to have fun baking with kids, creating special times together while keeping the mess and stress at bay! Try our tips and tricks for throwing a low-key, memorable cookie exchange or enjoy all the clever places you can use cookies for other uses, as well as creative ways to show your cookie cutters some love beyond the holidays.

Look for these special recipes:

Start with a MixSlash time in the kitchen by jump-starting your prep with a mix

Big BatchRecipes making 4 or more dozen; perfect for cookie swaps or cookie monsters

All our recipes are tested in the Betty Crocker Kitchens, so you know youll have success every time. Weve packed this book with all our best tips and tricks to make you a cookie-baking champion! Enjoy our Fun Look Back at Cookies, since our first Cooky Book was published and how cookies have changed in our Cookie Goes Round feature, sprinkled throughout the book.

Lets Bake Up Some Magic!

Betty Crocker

Baking cookies isnt rocket science, but knowing the essential tips and tricks can ensure baking success so that no matter what little bites of heaven you bake, youll be proud to serve them. Small, yes, but cookies still require attention to achieve a big kitchen victory. Read on to find all the info you need to be a cookie-baking rock star, straight from the Betty Crocker Kitchens.

Flour All-purpose flour is recommended for making cookies and bars. Its what weve used to test all our recipes, unless otherwise noted. Whole wheat flour can be used if substituted for up to one-third of the all-purpose flour called for in a recipe. If a larger proportion of whole wheat flour is used (and the recipe wasnt specifically developed with it), the cookies could be too dry and crumbly.

Sweeteners In addition to adding sweetness, sugar also helps to add tenderness to the cookies and helps them brown.

Leavenings Cookies usually call for one or both of baking powder or baking soda to help lighten cookie dough by making it rise. Sometimes cream of tartar is used as a leavening as well as to impart a slightly sour flavor to the cookies. Be sure to check the use-by date of your leavenings. If your cookies arent performing, this could be the culprit!

Fats and Oils These add tenderness and flavor to cookies and bars. For best results, use the ingredient called for in the recipe, and do not substitute another ingredient unless the recipe gives an alternate. We use salted butter (not margarine) for most cookies for the best results. Margarine usually contains water, which can affect the spread of the cookie. Spreads that are at least 65 percent fat will work; however, the flavor may be compromised.

Best Method for Evenly Softened Butter Soften it at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.

Quick Method for Softening Butter Microwave unwrapped butter in a glass bowl on Low 30% power. It will take 30 seconds to 1 minute for cup to 1 cup. (Watch carefully, as butter can soften unevenly, causing parts of it to quickly melt.)

Eggs Eggs add structure, moisture and richness to cookies and bars. All recipes in this book have been tested with large eggs. Egg product substitutes, made of egg whites, can be substituted for whole eggs, but the cookies and bars may have a more dry, crumbly texture.

Oats In some recipes, either quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats would work, but sometimes the variety matters. Use what is called for in the recipe. Instant oatmeal products are not the same as quick-cooking oats and should not be used for baking.

Nuts, Peanuts and Almond Brickle Chips When a recipe calls for nuts, feel free to substitute any variety of nut or peanuts. Nuts and almond brickle chips can easily become rancid, giving your cookies an off flavor. Check these ingredients by tasting them before adding them to your cookies. Prevent rancidity by storing nuts and peanuts in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator or freezer up to 2 years. Do not freeze cashewsthey dont freeze well.

Most recipes in this book call for using either an electric mixer or spoon, depending on the ingredients used and how hard it is to mix.

Note the specific directions for the recipe you are making. Sugars, fats and liquids are usually beaten together first until well mixed, to incorporate air into the dough and disperse the fat. Flour and other ingredients are almost always added afterward to avoid overmixing the dough, which can result in tough cookies.

Softening Butter

If your recipe calls for softened butter, its important to soften it to the correct stage or your cookies will either spread too much (with overly softened butter) or not enough (with butter thats not softened enough).