The smoothed complexity of the sugar cookie

Cookies are always a favorite item to have during the Holiday season. Among the first lessons we had at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, were sugar cookies. I had baked cookies many times before, taking basic recipes from books or later on, the web, with quite a success among friends and family. However, everything I knew about baking was renewed, enhanced, or transformed after learning how to do it the professional way.

Made from the classic mixture of butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, this seemingly simple recipe can create complexity if the ingredients are not mixed in the right way. I discovered this early enough in the process.

The first batch of cookies was undoubtedly right in taste. However, the dough got a cottage cheese appearance, when incorporating the eggs into the batter. We had been advised in class about this potential risk when the eggs are too cold and have not reached the required temperature. In my effort to improve the batter, I kept mixing it to get the right consistency. I thought the problem was solved. The dough rested overnight in the fridge, and the next morning I was able to roll it beautifully. However, I had forgotten my phone and went to retrieve it. Too much time passed, making the dough softer as its temperature increased. Therefore, it became more challenging to do the first batch of cookies. Lesson learned: Always retrieve your phone only after you are done with the cookies!

I placed the remaining dough in the fridge again for the second batch and left it to rest for 30 min. The results were very different, making it easier to roll the dough, and getting better-shaped cookies to bake. So the second batch was for sure a success. I learned that the ingredients' temperature is key to having the right consistency and texture of the dough and working with the dough to produce the cookies fast to prevent the dough from getting warmer. If that happens, it is better to place the dough again in the fridge.

Have you ever baked sugar cookies? what challenges have you faced? What has worked for you?