For the best flavor and texture, be sure to use the exact type of shortening—butter, margarine or vegetable—called for in each recipe. Substituting one type for another could change the taste or texture of your finished product. And, don't use vegetable oil spreads, diet, "lite", soft, whipped or liquid versions of butter or margarine. These products may give you unsatisfactory results.
Be sure to measure your ingredients carefully. Use metal or plastic nested cups for dry ingredients like flour or sugar, and graduated glass or plastic cups with spouts for liquids. If you use a liquid measuring cup for flour, you may get an extra tablespoon or more per cup, which could make your cookies dry and hard. To measure flour, lightly spoon it from the canister into the measuring cup, and level it with the straight edge of a spatula or knife. Don't tap or shake the cup to level it. When measuring brown sugar, pack it firmly into a measuring cup that's dry, so that it holds its shape when removed.
Preheat your oven for at least 10 to 15 minutes before starting to bake. Oven temperatures can vary from dial settings by as much as 50 degrees, so you may have to check the actual temperature with an oven thermometer. If you don't have one, try a test cookie. If it spreads too much, the temperature may be too high.
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Center the rack in the middle of the oven. If you put two baking sheets in the oven at one time, it's best to switch their positions halfway through the baking time. Allow cookie sheets to cool thoroughly between batches. Putting the dough onto hot cookie sheets may cause the cookies to spread and brown too much around their edges.
Use flat baking sheets or those with very low edges. Shiny, heavy-gauge aluminum is best; dark cookie sheets may cause excessive browning. For best results, the sheets should be 1 to 2 inches smaller than the oven rack on all sides to allow for proper air circulation.
Prepare cookie sheets and baking pans as directed before you begin to mix the recipe. If light greasing is suggested, use vegetable oil spray or a small amount of solid vegetable shortening. Don't use butter or margarine—these products may burn on cookie sheets. You might also want to use baker's parchment paper (available in many supermarkets and specialty stores) instead of greased cookie sheets—these will save on clean-up time!
Make cookies in the same batch of the same size and shape. Arrange cookie dough pieces into even rows on the baking sheet, so they heat evenly. And, don't leave large empty spaces—this may cause cookies to burn.
Allow cookies to cool slightly before removing them from the baking sheet. As soon as they are firm enough to move without breaking, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Don't leave cookies on a hot baking sheet—they will continue cooking.
Wait until cookies have cooled completely; then store them in tightly covered containers. Don't store soft and crisp cookies together—the crisp ones will soften.
Already baked cookies—double-wrapped in plastic sheets or storage bags—can be frozen for up to 3 months of ready-made snacks. To thaw, remove cookies from the freezer, unwrap and place them in a single layer on a wire rack for 15 to 30 minutes. Store any uneaten cookies in tightly covered containers.
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