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How To Achieve The Perfect Cookie *Giveaway*

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This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Tonya Dean. Congrats!

I’m always amazed when I walk into a bakery and see their perfectly shaped, decorated cookies, all lined up without a flaw.  From years of baking, I can tell you that sometimes, the result looks much different than the picture in that cookbook or magazine, even if it tastes delicious.

Designed by Caryn

Earlier this fall, I gleaned some cookie wisdom from Wilton.  Here are some tips for achieving that perfect look you see at your local bakery:

It’s in the dough…Choose the recipe that fits what you’re trying to achieve. So many times I’ve adapted ingredients because I ran out of an item, the result being a cookie that was too hard or didn’t bake properly.  While some items can be adapted (i.e. substituting almond extract for vanilla extract) avoid altering crucial ingredients like baking powder/soda.  You’ll also want to pay attention to details like softened v. chilled butter. If you melt butter instead of softening it, your cookies will spread out too much during baking.  Over mixing the dough will result in the development of gluten which means your cookies will likely come out too tough.

When done is overdone…It’s better to err on the side of caution when baking cookies, since they continue to bake on the sheet when taken out of the oven.  Move to a cooling rack as soon as possible to avoid overbaking.

Make use of your resources…I have a ton of cookie cutters that typically sit pretty in my kitchen drawer.  Making a lot of cookies? Try Wilton’s Roller Cutters which make it easy to cut out a large number of cookies in a short amount of time.  You can also experiment with a cookie press for perfectly shaped spritz cookies.

Decorate like a pro…One of my favorite aspects of my visit to Wilton was learning how to make and use color flow icing.  This is what transforms your cookies from excellent to professional.  Once you’ve outlined your cookies with the full strength version, you’ll thin it to fill your cookie.  Before it’s had a chance to dry, you can add detail and designs by dropping in the icing and swirling it with a toothpick.

Experiment with color…Color your dough for a festive holiday display!

Use a cookie cutter to keep your sprinkles in the right place

Piping gel can be used to affix sprinkles and other decorations

Think outside the box…Dip your cookies in chocolate, draw on them with a paintbrush, experiment with sprinkles. You’re only limited by your imagination.

Glean inspiration…from cookbooks, magazines, baking blogs, and more. Wilton’s Cookie Exchange book is a wonderful resource for baking and decorating holiday cookies.

Presentation is everything…Wilton’s cookie box kits make it easy and attractive to display your creations.

Win It! One of you will win an awesome cookie package from Wilton which will include the following:

Cookie Exchange Book
2  Non-stick Mini Holiday Pans
1  Comfort Grip Cookie Press
1  Holiday Roller Cutter
1  Cookie Spatula
1  Woodland Friends Cookie Box Kit
1  6-mix Christmas Sprinkle Assortment

Simply leave me a comment with the name of another Wilton product you like from the site (other than those mentioned above). Comments will close tomorrow December 24, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.  US Residents only.  Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

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No compensation was received for this post. Review and giveaway items supplied by the company.


Caryn Bailey
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238 Responses to How To Achieve The Perfect Cookie *Giveaway*

  1. I love the Chocolate Pro™ Electric Chocolate Melter. It just seems more convenient than using a double boiler when melting chocolates and it has a lip to pour out the ready melted chocolate. Very nice.

    Reply

  12. I would like to try the Easy Flex™ Silicone 8 in. Square Pan. Our metal ones get so scratched up.

    tdlsfm(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply

  30. The White Standard baking cups are extremely affordable! I use this product all the time and I think I’ll order some from Wilton.

    Reply

  42. Love Wilton products ~ I have my sights set on the princess carriage cake pan for my girl’s next birthday party.

    Reply

  76. I would love the star shaped pan from Wilton. The O’ starry night cake they made looked yummy and easy enough for me to make. LKVOYER at aol dot com

    Reply

  107. I really love the Elmo Face Cake Pan. My youngest daughter is really into Elmo and I would love to bake her a special cake with this pan! Thanks so much for hosting this wonderful giveaway!

    furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

    Reply

  177. I love all the character cake pans, especially the Star Wars and Disney Princess and Fairies. My grandkids would love them!

    Reply

  183. I love their Comfort Grip cookie cutters! We used them to make our holiday cookies this year. 🙂
    ljatwood at gmail dot com

    Reply

  185. All the various candy molds look like a lot of fun. Also the chocolate pro candy melter…looks messy but fun.

    Reply

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