Cookie Recipes

Like most of the baked goods we know and love today, cookie recipes seem to have originated in Europe. Long before thermometers, Dutch bakers used to use a small amount of cake batter to test whether the oven was hot enough or not. These little baked bits of cake were called "koekje," which translates to "little cake" in Dutch. Thus, the cookie was born and the flavors, textures, and ingredients have evolved from there.

Just about everyone remembers coming home from school to a plate of warm cookies fresh out of the oven served up with an ice cold glass of milk. Today, we often don't take the time to bake a fresh batch of our favorite cookie recipe, but they can be quick to make, and home-baked are so much better than the store-bought variety.

Today, cookie recipes can be found in all shapes and forms, including giant, soft, hard, and decorated baskets. In fact, the little gems are probably one of the most popular baked dessert we nosh on in modern homes. So, home baked or not, cookies still seem to say "home" and family, no matter what they contain or how you make them.

Baking your Cookie Recipes

Three words: parchment paper and ice cream scoops (okay, that's six words, sorry). These two kitchen helpers will make your cookies turn out so fabulous that you'll be amazed. Not only will lining your baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper keep your pans cleaner, it will also keep the batter from burning on the bottom. Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop the cookie dough onto your sheets. This will help keep each piece uniform in size and bake more evenly.