First Time cookie order! LOTS of questions - Page 2

I can not make a chocolate chip cookie to save my life, they never turn out right. Sugar cookies I make all the time, I usually cut them out and freeze them, then a few days before I need them I thaw them out and bake. But now I see that I can throw them into the oven frozen, I learn something new everyday on here!
Now I have a question for all you cookie experts, I am making graduation cookies (caps) but I am going to need them in black. If I ice them in black royal icing and freeze them will the color change? or should I just freeze, bake, then decorate? Thank you for the help I have already gotten, and thank you to imartsy for posting this question.


Erica

I did black cats for halloween, baked iced then frozen and the coloer did not change in the freezer.

val

imartsy, if you hate to make royal icing (so do I), another alternative is to buy the Wilton icing writers. I saw them at the store recently, and have never tried them, but the package says it dries for stacking. Just a thought. They come in tubes in a variety of colors.

I have been the recipient of SO much help that I'll share a recipe that I've been using for years. They are not a cruncy crisp cookie......softer but I definately think they will do the job for you.

This is NOT my recipe. Years ago my DH bought me a Pillsbury Bakeoff book that contains all of the prize winning recipes and more!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies MAKES 6 DOZEN

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of butter ( I only use unsalted butter)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
4 1/4 cups flour
2 teasponns baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
24 oz. ( usually 2 bags) of semi- sweet chips

Heat oven to 375 degress. I use parchement paper on my sheets and I also use a cookie scoop ( looks like a mini ice cream scooper)

In a large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, blend well. Add flour, baking soda and salt, mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips ( if you want to this is when you can freeze the dough. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. To bake it thaw at room temp for 1-2 hours. Then bake as directed) Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonsful 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe. It's the only one that I've used for probably 20 years. My family loves it.....I have never tryed freezing the dough....when I make it...I bake it

I insist on using only good butter in all of my cookies recipies execpt this recipe for choc chip They are still yummy
Val

Ok. My girls haven't done chores in two weeks..... so I figured bribe them with cookies. JavaJunkieChrissy tried your recipe, think I'm switching to yours they are better. Oh, and the bribe worked I know have clean bathrooms!!
Thanks Val

I was thinking if i made some pb cookies i might get the floors scrubbed

I have a killer PB recipe too.....That's where I started out baking was with cookies. I love to bake and have baked all sorts of things. I use to do all of our family bread by hand (no bread machine) for seven of us...but as the boys got bigger so did their eating habits and now with everything else I do I cant keep up. I still do bread just not all of the bread that we eat. I like doing rye and braided Challah. And the smell that it leaves in the house....Amazing!!

I'll give you my PB Cookie recipe. It's so basic and sometimes the best things are basic!

This is NOT my recipe. I've had this since my start in baking. I use to send these to my DH when we were dating...he was in the Marines! This recipe is from an old Better Homes cookbook

1/2 cup butter ( please, use the butter)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
sugar (set aside)

In a mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electirc mixer on med-high for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the flour, the sugars, egg, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat till combined. Beat in the remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough until it's easy to handle.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in the sugar that you set aside. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Flatten by crisscrossing with the tines of a fork. Bake in a 375 degree over for 7-9 minutes ot till the bottoms are golden brown. Cool on a cookie rack

This makes about 3 dozen cookies and they really are good. If you really want to put them over the top you can add some peanut butter chips to the dough and also some coarse chopped peanuts. Another thing that I do is I make a glaze using dark brown sugar and some honey. I add the glaze after the cookies are cool and before the glaze is dry I add some peanuts to the tops of the cookies!! That's really good! Sorry, I don't have measurements for the glaze....give them your best guess.

Just finished my pb ones I use the recipe on the jiff jar but always looking for better recipies will try this one as soon as they are gone. Agree butter is the only way too go. I've tried bread a few times (by hand) but it never turns out right

Thanks soooo much for you recipe can't wait to try it pb are my fav.

Val

What type of cake are you making? I know some people charge per slice and then other double and even triple the cost of the ingredients to arive at the selling price.

I know I've read on here that alot of the cookie ladies charge a per inch charge! Then of course you have to factor in the cost of the pot that you put them in etc....