How To Stop Cookies From Spreading
It’s a funny meme that most people have seen online: how the cookie looked when it was first cut to how it looks now when it is baked.
This phenomenon, where the cookies become wider and larger, is known as spreading, and with intricate shapes, it can be a nightmare. It can be avoided, though, and here, we will give you some top tips.
1. Temperature
When you are baking, the temperature of the oven and the ingredients are important to stop everything from spreading.
2. Butter
When you are baking cookies, many recipes will state that they need room-temperature butter. On a hot day, you don’t want to leave butter on the counter, as it will melt! Thirty minutes should be fine. If you can make an indent in the butter, it is good to go!
3. Pans
- When you are baking cookies back to back, you will likely be using the same pans repeatedly. To prevent spreading, you need to let the pans cool down. The residual heat from the last batch can cause the new batch to spread.
- Are you baking on a cheap pan? If the answer is yes, that might be the issue.
- Cookie sheets are, as stated, perfect for baking cookies. You don’t need to spend a fortune, but you take note of the following things. Light-colored pans are better than dark ones, and heavier pans are better than thin ones.
4. Dough
When the recipe is to the letter but it still spreads, you need to see if the dough is the culprit. It may be that the dough is too warm and needs a bit of chill-out time in the fridge or freezer before baking.
5. Baking Mats
If you bake on pans and parchment, it may be worth getting a mesh or silicone baking mats. They have silicon-coated gridwork, which prevents sticking, burning, and, most importantly, it prevents spread!