Smartie NYC Cookies! - Jane's Patisserie (2023)

FAQs

How do you know when NYC cookies are done? ›

How Do You Know When New York Cookies Are Done? NYC cookies are done when the bottom is golden and the edges start to turn golden brown. The cookies only need to bake for 14 minutes as they are meant to be gooey inside.

Chilling cookie dough controls spread.

Chilling cookie dough before baking solidifies the fat in the cookies. As the cookies bake, the fat in the chilled cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the less cookies spread.

Homemade cookie dough should be stored in small containers in the refrigerator for two to four days or freeze for two months. Alternatively, small quantities of dough can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator as needed.

Once the batch is completely frozen, transfer the dough balls into a freezer bag or other airtight container, label the container with the type of cookie and the date you made the dough and stash it in the freezer. The cookie dough freezes well for up to 4 months.

Keeping them on the sheet too long after baking can cause them to get hard or stick to the sheet. Cookies are done when they are firmly set and lightly browned. When you touch them lightly with your finger, almost no imprint will remain.

Open up the oven, pull out the rack a bit, and push the sides of the cookie very lightly with a spatula or your finger. If the edge stays firm and doesn't fall inwards, then your cookies are done. If you leave a noticeable indentation, then your cookies likely need a few minutes more in the oven.

According to Better Home & Gardens, any cookie dough — with the exception of meringue and cookie bar batters — can be kept for up to a week if stored in an airtight container. For easier baking later, pre-scoop the batter or shape the dough into a log before tossing it in the fridge.

You will only get about three to five days fridge life with homemade cookie dough, but if you freeze it, the dough can last anywhere from 6 to 12 months.

Cookie dough can stay fresh in the refrigerator for five days. It's best to bake and eat on the first day and will get drier the longer it stays in the fridge, and this will result in crumbly and dry cookies after too long.

After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze them, then store them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag labeled with the name and date. Squeeze out extra air and place flat in the freezer. To save space, you can flat-stack freezer bags.

Is it better to freeze cookies or freeze the dough? ›

In most cases, I prefer to freeze cookie dough over freezing baked cookies. That way, you still get the nice homemade smell and softness of the cookies when they come out of the oven. But if you want to get the whole job done, you can certainly bake the cookies, then freeze them later.

The taste will remain, but the cookies will not spread as large. If you want the spread to be the same, we recommend thawing the dough for 24 hours in the fridge. Some cookie doughs just don't freeze well. These are doughs that rely on egg whites rather than butter for volume and texture in the cookie.

The recipe calls for flattening the dough.

If you're not directed to flatten the dough before baking it means it's soft enough to spread on its own, and the cookies won't hold an imprint.

Cookies should be baked on the center oven rack for even heating and air circulation. As a best practice, is it recommended to rotate the cookie sheet or sheets roughly halfway, or shortly thereafter, through the baking time, if needed.

If you use too much butter, the cookies will end up flat and greasy. And if you use too little flour, the amount of butter and sugar will be proportionally too high, meaning the cookies will spread for the aforementioned reasons.

A lower temperature will require more cooking time and will ultimately result in a thinner, crisper chocolate chip cookie. For those ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookies, 375 degrees Fahrenheit is your sweet spot.

For the vast majority of baked goods, we want a toothpick inserted in the center to come out clean, indicating that the crumb is fully set and no excess moisture remains. This ensures that the item will slice neatly and hold together when cool.

Choose the oven's middle rack when baking cookies

Most ovens heat from the bottom, according to Taste of Home, therefore, any cookies placed on the bottom rack are apt to burn before they're cooked through, and any placed on the top rack will bake slowly and unevenly.

A Tender Center

After about 10 minutes, the cookies should be golden brown around the edges but still soft in the centers. The cookies will continue to cook a bit on the hot cookie sheet if you leave them there for one or two minutes before transfering them to a cooling rack.

Let it sit for long enough—the famous Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie, published in the New York Times, mandates a rest of at least 24 hours and up to 72—and the starches and proteins in the flour begin to break down, leading to more browning and caramelization.

How long should cookies sit out after baking? ›

Curious how long cookies last at room temperature? Most homemade cookies will maintain their taste and texture for up to 3 days. If you leave them out for too long, the cookies begin to harden or dry out. To prevent cookies from becoming stale, cover them with plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container.

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Resting your dough in the refrigerator will almost always yield better results. But why? Chilling your cookie dough in the refrigerator after mixing it allows the flour to hydrate and gives the other ingredients time to blend, resulting in a richer, more well-rounded flavor profile.

Unless otherwise noted, don't store cookies in the refrigerator: The cool air can rob cookies of their moisture and make them taste bland. In general, store cookies at room temperature or freeze them, as specified above.

Generally speaking, it is not recommended to eat cookie dough after its expiration date. However, in most cases, it is still safe to eat within a few days as long as it is stored properly. Cookie dough can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator, or up to six months in the freezer.

If you have kept your dough in the refrigerator and you find that it has developed a dry texture you will need to add more liquid. Add a teaspoon of water or milk and mix. I would recommend mixing with your hands to avoid overmixing the dough.

Thaw Before Baking Method: Thaw the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours, or at room temperature about 1 hour before baking as directed in your cookie recipe. You don't need to adjust the bake time or temperature for thawed cookie dough.

To extend the shelf life of products, many bakers use specially formulated enzymes for preservation. These naturally occurring protein compounds can keep baked goods soft while preventing crumbling and staling.

Your best choices are airtight containers (plastic or glass) because they protect the cookies from breaking. Choose shallow, square or rectangular containers with flat bottoms. (Rounded bottoms cause cookies to bend.) Place waxed paper or parchment paper in between layers.

The basic rule is that cookies with a liquidy batter don't hold up well in the freezer — these are usually thin, delicate cookies like tuiles, florentines and pizzelles. Very cakey “cookies” like madeleines also do not freeze well.

Why put cookies in freezer before baking? ›

Cool down your dough for a tastier, chewier cookie.

As little as 30 minutes in your fridge or freezer can help your cookie brown better, spread less, and develop a richer chewy texture. There's a few reasons why, but one important part is it gives the butter in your dough a chance to firm up before baking.

You can freeze classic Christmas cookies that get coated in powdered sugar (like Russian Tea Cakes) but it is best to freeze them before baking and coating. Form the cookies and then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until solid.

It's to solidify the fat in the dough, so the cookies won't spread too far during baking, and to ensure the cookies end up soft and tender. It would be a sad day when those cute sugar cookies you just cut into pretty snowflakes turn into one large, buttery blob in the oven.

When you ask about freezing cookie dough, the short answer is, of course, a resounding yes!

Chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Place the solid and cold cookie dough balls into a labeled zipped-top bag– large or small depending on how much dough you have. Label the bag with the month and the baking temperature and place the bag in the freezer. Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months.

The action doesn't stop when your cookies come out of the oven. As they cool, the liquified sugars cool and harden, producing crisp bottoms and edges, and the air inside cools, causing the cookie to deflate slightly.

How to Tell When Chocolate Chip Cookies Are Done. Chocolate chip cookies are done when they have a firm golden edge or bottom and appear slightly set on top. If the edges become dark brown, they are overbaked. If edges aren't golden and tops are soft and shiny, bake a little longer.

Testing for Moisture

The texture of the toothpick can give you an idea of how much moisture is left in your treat. If the toothpick comes out clean, your baked goods are ready to go. If there are still some wet crumbs or batter stuck to the toothpick, your treat needs a few more minutes in the oven.

Once baked, these will last for 4-5+ days!

However, as we all know, warm cookies are a wonderful thing. So, let your cookies cool just until they hold their shape (generally after about 5 minutes on a cookie cooling rack) and savor them warm while you can.

How long do you leave cookies on a baking sheet? ›

For chewy cookies, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. For crispier cookies, let cookies cool for one minute on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

"My golden rule for baking is make it cold and bake it hot," she said. Use Grated Butter for Flakey Crust.

Q: Is it better to cook cookies on 325 or 350? A: Both 325 and 350 are great temperatures for baking cookies. The main difference is that cookies baked at 325 degrees will be softer and more chewy, while cookies baked at 350 degrees will be crispy around the edges but still soft in the center.

You can always return cookies to the oven if they need a few more minutes. You can even rebake cookies long after they're cool to restore crispness or freshness.

350° is the standard temp for a cookie, and it's a great one. Your cookies will bake evenly and the outside will be done at the same time as the inside. Baking at 325° also results in an evenly baked cookie, but the slower cooking will help yield a chewier cookie.

If you're in the middle of making, say, your best-ever chocolate cake and you don't have a toothpick to check cake doneness, a thin, sharp knife is our Test Kitchen's favorite workaround. Look at your knife set and find the one with the thinnest blade. Then insert the blade into the center of the cake.

Bake at 375 degrees F until golden and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. For crispy-cakey cookies: Bake the cookies at 425 degrees F until golden and crunchy on the outside, 8 to 10 minutes. For chewy cookies: Use 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup corn syrup and omit the granulated sugar.

To keep chewy cookies from turning dry and brittle, store them in a zipper-lock bag at room temperature with a small piece of bread (no more than half of a slice) placed inside.

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.