Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So it begins!

Baker Bettie’s Cookies Are The New Cupcake Series! 

And I feel I need to clear a few things up here.

I don’t want to turn this into a cupcake bash fest.  That would be wrong.  And mean.

And I am really against being mean.  It’s just so…. not nice.

I want to think about this as a cookie advocacy series.  A push for cookies to get the same amount of hype as cupcakes.  Because cookies and cupcakes should be given equal recognition in the dessert world.  They both have their place.

And I think there needs to be a slogan. Does anyone have any brilliant slogan ideas?

Edit: Best slogan idea so far from Cara at Fork and Beans… “No one puts cookies in the corner”

If you have no idea what I am talking about here, read this first…

Ok. Now that we have all of that serious business out of the way, on the the fun stuff.

The cookies!

I have several cookie “base recipes” that I have created depending on the resulting texture I am going for.  These base recipes can then be flavored and shaped in various ways to create different kinds of cookies.

Today I am going to share with you my base recipe for a soft and fluffy cookie.  I used this base recipe to make blueberry cookies just to try something different.  They turned out really well.  Perfect with your morning cup of coffee.  But you could just as easily make these with chocolate chips or even plain with a touch of vanilla for a soft and buttery cookie.

Soft and Fluffy Cookie Base Recipe

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3 1/4 cups cake flour
  • Mix-ins and/or extracts of your choosing
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, and beat after each addition.  If using any extracts, add this and beat to incorporate.  In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  With the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the batter.  Scrape down the bowl as needed and mix until incorporated.  Fold in any mix-ins.  Allow the dough to cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a small scoop (about 1 tbsp size) and place rounded mounds of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or foil.  Bake for 11-14 minutes until the bottoms look slightly browned (the edges should not brown).

You will notice a few things about this recipe.  The main thing being the use of cake flour.  Cake flour has a low gluten content and allows for the light and fluffy texture for these cookies.  These also work best when scooped in small rounds.  They will stay lighter, and taller.  Like I said, use this recipe to build your own flavor profile.  These would also work great as a frosted cookie.  Cream cheese frosting anyone?!

Here is what I did with the recipe to make the blueberry cookies. . .

Soft and Fluffy Blueberry Lemon Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, and beat after each addition.  Add the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat to incorporate.  In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  With the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the batter.  Scrape down the bowl as needed and mix until incorporated.  Fold in the blueberries gently as to now break them.  Allow the dough to cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a small scoop (about 1 tbsp size) and place rounded mounds of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or foil.  Bake for 11-14 minutes until the bottoms look slightly browned (the edges should not brown).

*Update: A lot of people have been asking me about cake flour and if they can use all-purpose instead.  Cake flour has a lower gluten content than all-purpose flour and therefore creates a lighter and fluffier cookie.  That is why it is ideal for this cookie and the texture I was going for.

However, you can sub all-purpose flour.  Decrease the amount of flour to 3 cups minus 2 tbsp.  The cookie will still be tasty, but the texture will be slightly different. Stay tuned for my next cookie post where I will be going in depth about different kinds of flours!

I have already been getting some fabulous entries from some readers for my Sunday “Cookies Are The New Cupcake From The Readers Edition.”  But keep them coming!

To submit your entry to be featured on Sunday “Cookies Are the New Cupcake from the Readers Edition”

  • Email a recipe or blog post to bakerbettie@gmail.com
  • Enter subject line as “Cookies are the New Cupcake”
  • Several entries will be featured each Sunday on bakerbettie.com
About these ads