Baking Classics
The Technique
Pecan-Oat Double Chip Cookies
Pecan-Oat Double Chip Cookies are one of my very favorite creations from way back offering a decadent bakery-style quality to them. Toasted pecans & good-for-you oats are ground in the food processor before adding them to the dough for an underlying richness beyond the standard chocolate chip drop cookie. A smidgen of cinnamon delivers just the right amount of depth to these decadent sweets. Drop cookies are one of the most simple cookie techniques to master. More than likely, you have been preparing the dough for years & didn’t even realize it. Follow my pointers & hone your skills. Learn the secrets to making the most popular cookie style & craft your best batch to date.
Pecan-Oat Double Chip Cookies
makes 3 1/2 dozen
The Basic Fundamentals
Twelve portions of dough will fit on each half sheet pan. Be certain you do not flatten them before baking for the best texture.
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup toasted pecan halves
2/3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 {10-oz} package bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter & the brown sugar with an electric stand mixer on Medium speed until light & airy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending on Low speed until incorporated; add the vanilla. Pulse the pecans & the oats, separately, in a food processor several times until finely ground, about 15 seconds. Whisk together the pecans, the oats, the flour, the soda, the salt & the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the pecan mixture to the butter mixture & blend on Low speed. Just before the dough is completely blended, add the chocolate chips to the bowl & give the mixer a few spins to combine. Portion the dough using a small spring release ice cream disher onto parchment paper-lined half sheet pans. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until the centers of the cookies have soft set centers. Cool completely on the pans.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Bakery-Style Drop Cookies
The first step to handcrafting something stellar is to begin with quality ingredients. The rest comes down to utilizing the proper procedure & not cutting corners. Drop Cookies refer to a specific cookie style & they are one of the easiest & most forgiving to prepare. Your favorite classic chocolate chip cookie in an example of the type of cookie that is classified in this category. Simply blend the dough & literally drop it from a spoon onto prepared baking sheets. The dough can also be portioned using a small spring released scoop to ensure a precise yield.
The Technique
From quality ingredients that are measured properly to blending & portioning them just so, you can create a batch of cookies that replicate those from a fine bakeshop. With a few pointers, you’ll be well on your way to baking pan after pan of irresistible cookies at a fraction of the cost & know you’ve created something a little more wholesome. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
The Preparations
It’s important to first read over a recipe before jumping right in or you may find yourself in a bind. Toasting nuts, blending items ahead of time & measuring ingredients well before needed always makes the process more manageable. Make certain ingredients are the proper temperature before beginning as well.
The Pecans
Toasting pecans ahead of time before adding them to recipes offers rich flavor. Place them on a sheet pan & bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes or until fragrant & lightly browned. Always make sure the nuts are cool before adding them with other ingredients.
Place the pecans in a food processor to blend them until finely ground & it can be achieved in about 15 seconds with short bursts of power. Do not over blend them as the oils will begin to release & can affect how the cookies bake up down the road.
The Oats
Finely ground oats add lovely texture to cookies. Place the old-fashioned oats in the food processor & pulse several times. Do not expect a uniform size. Follow the time cue provided in the recipe instructions. Some of the oat pieces will be larger & some smaller – more like a powder or with the consistency of a hearty flour.
No. 2
The Ingredients
The Butter
Softened butter is called for often in recipe applications. The key is to begin the mixing process whether for cookies or other baked items with butter that is the proper consistency. It shouldn’t be too firm nor too soft. You should be able to create a rudimentary butter curl with a spoon indicating that it is indeed ready to use.
The Brown Sugar
Sugar acts as a spreading agent in recipes so it’s important that it is measured properly for use in recipe applications. Pack brown sugar in measuring cups. The back of a smaller cup pressed tightly over the surface will help get the job done quickly. Use a butter knife to swipe over the surface for a level, even measurement.
The Dry Ingredients
One of the most important steps when making a batch of cookie dough is being certain the leavening in dispersed evenly throughout the dough for an even rise in the oven. Always whisk together the dry ingredients before adding them to the butter & sugar mixture. for the best results when baking.
No. 3
The Procedure
The Creaming Process
The creaming process is a chance to prepare ingredients to meld together to ensure a pleasing end result. Fat that is the proper temperature & sugar are blended together using a flat beater attachment until the mixture is light & airy.
After approximately 2 minutes, you will notice a sandy mixture clinging to the bowl sides. It’s important to scrape down the bowl sides occasionally using a rubber spatula to be certain the mixture is evenly blended at the end of the process.
3a
The mixture should appear fluffier & lighter in color. Scrape down the bowl sides once again using a rubber spatula before proceeding with the recipe instructions. The entire technique should take approximately 4 to 5 minutes to complete.
The Final Blending
Stop the mixer just before the dry ingredients are completely blended. Add the chocolate pieces then give the mixer a few spins to complete the mixing process. The important take away is that you do not want to over blend the dough which could result in one tough cookie.
No. 4
The Portioning
Every cookie dough performs a little differently when baked depending on the ingredient ratio. This particular recipe yields a bakery-style quality that works best when portioned using a cookie scoop. Do not press the dough mounds flat. The technique delivers a cookie that is crisp around the edges & a soft set in the center with a nice, all-around even rise.
Space the dough about 2-inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. About 1 dozen will fit on a half sheet pan.
No. 5
The Baking
Before baking cookies, it’s important to preheat the oven in advance so that the dough performs as it should during the baking process. Only bake one pan of portioned cookie dough at a time for accurate results. Adding too much into the oven at one time will slow the baking process & skew how the dough bakes.
The Tune
“It’s A Good Day” Peggy Lee
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