How To Make The Best Cookies | Ask Gemma

As a Pastry Chef, I have you covered with my tips for the best cookies. Watch and master any cookie recipe, plus ask me anything that's missing in the comments and I'll answer!
**MY BEST Cookie Video Recipes: • Thin & Crispy Chocolat...
Yummy Brownies: • Gemma's Best-Ever Brow...
Pastry Chef's Tips for the Best Cookies Chapters:
0:00 Gemma's Answering Your Cookie Questions
0:27 How do I measure my ingredients? Using cups or scales?
0:43 Can I use whole wheat flour in my cookies?
1:01 Can I use cake flour in my cookies?
1:16 Can I use self-raising flour in my cookies?
1:36 What if you don't eat gluten?
1:53 Should I use brown butter when making cookies?
2:10 How do you brown butter?
2:14 How to brown butter
3:04 Do I use salted or unsalted butter?
3:27 If I use salted butter do I still add salt into my recipe?
3:45 Can I use extra virgin olive oil or is the flavor too strong?
4:29 Can I use chocolate chips instead of a chocolate bar?
5:41 Can I use milk chocolate instead of bittersweet chocolate?
6:24 Can I freeze cookie dough?
7:09 What is aging cookie dough?
8:05 I baked two trays of cookies and they didn't bake evenly, why?
8:39 My cookies spread, what did I do wrong?
9:13 Is there any saving a burnt cookie?
9:37 How do I stop my cookies from burning?
10:23 My cookies came out dry, what did I do wrong?
11:00 How do I store my cookies?
📌 ABOUT GEMMA & BIGGER BOLDER BAKING 📌
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, two-time cookbook author, and the host of Bigger Bolder Baking. I’m passionate about sharing my years of baking expertise to show you how to bake with confidence anytime, anywhere! Join millions of other Bold Bakers in the community for new videos at 7:00am Pacific Time every Thursday!
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#bestcookies #cookies #cookiesrecipe
A decade of baking bigger and bolder with home bakers like you!
I’ve been fortunate to share my bold baking style with millions of fans on television and online: Netflix’s “Nailed It!”, Food Network’s “Best Baker in America”, "Baker's Dozen" on Hulu, and segments produced for "The Today Show".
This channel, my website, and my two cookbooks all build on my career as a professional chef, which has seen me work in every kind of baking setting you can imagine - from a rundown Tuscan villa, to an Irish priory, to a Michelin-starred restaurant. I’ve had to become creative, imaginative, and bold…and that’s what I want to bring to every one of my “Bold Bakers"!
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How To Make The Best Cookies | Ask Gemma

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Hi Bold Bakers! I hope my tips for the best cookies come in handy this fall and holiday season. Ask me any other cookie questions in the comments and we’ll answer them. What other Ask Gemma episodes do you want to see?

[@forevertheaii]

Hi Gemma, what can I use to substitute "all purpose flour" if a recipe calls for it? What's the difference between all purpose flour and cake wheat flour?

[@sanskritijain5248]

Hi gemma ❤️ very informative video as always b/w please do a ask gemma video of oven rack placements for an counter top otg/oven becoz sometimes It can ve very confusing for a new baker ....sorry more than one question 😅 Do you recommend baking cookies on a silpat or parchment paper? Should cookies be greasy when they are just baked off and cooled? How to prevent greasy cookies? Thanks❤❤

[@Connie6690]

A flat cookie is sometimes caused by putting the cookies into the oven before it's the right temperature. The cookies warm up and spread out as the oven warms up.

[@mmakomanyatja5213]

Excellent Gemma thank you very much much appreciated stay bless with your family

[@susanjeffries5108]

I am also part of the salted butter tribe hahaha. I know recipes always call for unsalted but I have never found that the cookies were too salty when I used salted butter. Controversial, yes, but I still do it and it's nice that a professional baker also does it 😂.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I'm for more flavor!

[@Ajoi14]

I'll follow these instructions the next time I make cookies! As for chocolate chips, I got myself some to use in cookies since they're way cheaper than a good quality dark chocolate bar. Thank you Gemma!

[@laurazeller2014]

Thank you, Gemma!

[@nicoleianovale6239]

Thank you. Gemma I'm watching you on TV this morning. Great episode

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thank you so much for the support.

[@lisamelbith5845]

Thanks a lot! Many of my doubts were cleared!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Glad this helped! Thanks for watching!

[@marychilemontaner8975]

Thanks gemma for the tips,love it❤

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I’m glad you found them helpful.

[@lapniappe]

when using browned butter in a recipe that doesn't call for it do you have to adjust for the lack of water? (some websites say add an extra tbsp of butter but what do you say?) also for people browning butter - in case you don't know what the nutty flavour you are smelling is for - also think of toffee. (I never smell nuts but i smell toffee hehe). or as my friend says - wait for the butter to NOT smell like butter.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I usually adjust based on how the flour I am using absorbs liquids. Flour in different places behaves in different ways, depending on how, where, when, and the type of wheat grain being milled. They absorb liquid differently. You may need more or less.

[@beatrizneves304Youtube]

Fantastic and elucidative video! Great job

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!

[@DiaDia18]

Very nice video Gemma! Thanks for all the tips! I use black baking tray and i didn't se to take easy colour my cookies! Have a nice day and good weekend! Have a good week and good month! 👍👏🍪🍪🍪

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Glad you enjoyed this, Dia.

[@DiaDia18]

@@biggerbolderbaking Thanks Gemma! 🤩🤩🤩

[@lisca2866]

Great tips thank you wish I had thought of the double cookie sheet 😅

[@dinar471]

Thank you, when freezing the dough, do we let them come to room temperature before baking? Or maybe put them in the fridge the night before?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

You can let it sit at room temperature for around 20 minutes, just enough for you to be able to scoop it. You can also transfer and chill it in the fridge hours before baking. Bake them cold in a very hot oven. It should bake through before it spreads too much.

[@Airisha_kitchen]

Thank you

[@noushinmunir1875]

Tremendous recipe

[@dkorsey]

Cookies, my kryptonite! Love the great tips and insights ❤

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Glad you found this helpful. Thanks for watching.

[@2EternityButterflies]

Thank you so much, Gemma! Really appreciate the help!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheOlliePoppy]

I make a mix between different recipes, and i use half Brown salted butter and half olive oil... and it makes the best cookies... so much Flavor 🥰

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Interesting!

[@fidamalik-uv6xv]

Yummy ❤❤❤❤❤

[@c2bienaime]

Nice cookie tips on them Gemma

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Glad you like them!

[@user-dv8db5pg3h]

The chocolate chip cookie recipe I use calls for 3/4 cup plain flour, 1 cup self raising flour and 1 tsp baking powder. Guess what you'll end up with? Amazing chocolate chip cookies that everyone will love. They don't spread as much and get really thin like other cookies and they rise a bit so they're nice and fat and the texture is perfect imo. I've been making them for years and I tried a different recipe recently with only plain flour and my daughter asked if I could use my regular recipe next time. Try it out.

[@Villagegirl279]

So delicious ❤

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thank you 😋

[@patbuegeler7770]

❤❤❤Great video.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thank you! 🤗

[@scuddlebug1]

Thanks, Gemma for another great video. What is the procedure for baking the cookies that you freeze in ball shape as in the video? Do they bake at the same temp as the original recipe calls for?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Yes, they would. Bake a very cold cookie dough in a very hot oven and it will bake through before the butter in it completely melts. You'll get a cookie that's crisp around the edges and chewy in the middle. Hope this helps.

[@maeveskelly4686]

Ask Gemma- my sister loves crunchy biscuits ( choc chip or especially ginger) and I do the baking. How do I get them crunchy rather than chewy?

[@kierachantel]

This!!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

You can reduce the amount of brown sugar, and replace it with white sugar. You can also bake it a little longer. Hope this helps.

[@eileenmurphy2019]

Love brown butter shortbread

[@eleniprovia7667]

Very useful tips! Cookies are one of my favorite things to bake, thank you Gemma!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@kabnpaujyaj]

Hi Gemma! Been watching you for awhile now and i love your cooking show! Can i request a video on how to make Chinese Doughnut? I’ve seen lots of videos on how they make it so airy and puffy, but every-time i do it things just don’t turn out right! If u can please share some tricks and tips in your video if you do it that would be wonderful! I am requesting this video only because i know you make lots of dough before and would love ur advice! Thank you so muchh!❤

[@kabnpaujyaj]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2LdpoJ5msuhoZosi=falQD7I_dpktKtJx this clip shows how they make it.

[@Wildevis]

Always good advice, I still think the best tip ever is the chopped chocolate instead fo choc chips and I love dark chocolate, totally works for me. YOu know what I was thinking about, one of my favourite movies is Chocolat and at the party at the end she made a chocolate gravy for meat! Does that fall in your BBB portfolio?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I have tried chocolate in savory dishes. It might be worth an experiment in the future.

[@sleepinglioness5754]

Sugar substitute that won't kill you? What is the best substitute: honey, monk fruit sugar? and is it a 1:1 substitute? Thanks for this video..........I was trying to get through one day without a chocolate chip cookie and then you came along!! Glad you did...

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Hi. I would go with monkfruit sweetener, it will yield a result that is closest to one made with regular sugar.

[@olamuyiwaojo555]

Hi Gemma please can you make a cake recipe for fall

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I have several over at my website. Go to www.biggerbolderbaking.com and type in 'fall' in the search field. It should give you a selection of fall recipes, cakes included.

[@robertadunn1572]

Hi Gemma ! I am on a low sodium diet, and alot of baking recipes have added salt , I really miss baked goods because of the amount of salt that is in recipes. Could you please make some low sodium recipes ? Thank You.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Hi Robert. You can leave the salt out in most recipes for dessert. It enhances the flavor of a bake, but leaving it out will also not prevent you from getting a good result. Hope this helps.

[@user-ed2iv1jm8o]

Lemon cookie can you use fresh fruit like raspberries strawberries etc ream cheese

[@khalidmemon2307]

How long can you freeze a week aged cookie dough ie kept in the refrigerator n then how long can you keep in freezer thanks

[@22ERICSHELLY]

What a great video! Thanks so much. May Jesus continue to bless you and your family

[@naima-hsain]

روعه روعه روعه برافو برافو وصفه رائعه❤❤

[@lmsossi6501]

Question: I have heard that melting butter prior to adding to a cookie recipe can make them spread and be very flat? Is that true? Can butter ever be melted before using rather than just softened/room temperature? Thank, Gemma!! I never baked from scratch before watching your videos because, growing up, we only used boxed mixes. From scratch is SO MUCH better!!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Not really, since butter solidifies when chilled. I chill cookie dough before baking, then I bake it cold in a very hot oven for just a few minutes. It should puff up while baking. Hope this helps.

[@ruthp6709]

thank you Gemma.can i use bread flour instead of all purpose flour? if yes,will it be of the same amount?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Yes, you can use bread flour, but the resulting texture will most likely be different as bread flour has a higher protein content. I suggest you gradually add the liquids or wet ingredients when combining wet and dry ingredients. Stop when the dough comes together and reaches the same consistency as shown in the video. Hope this helps.

[@sajaniekanayake9823]

I hope someone caught that milk chocolate bar when she threw it 😭😂

[@adesewaadesanya2547]

Thanks, Gemma. I use a gas oven how do I make it convection? To bake more than 2 trays

[@biggerbolderbaking]

If your oven has a convection feature, then you can switch it to convection mode. It has to have that feature for you to be able to bake in convection, otherwise, you will have to bake tray after tray, one at a time. Hope this helps.

[@isabelrocha5791]

Hi Gemma, i'am diabetic, do you have any recepie of cookies? Thanks

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I have a Keto Sugar Cookie recipe. Get the recipe here, www.biggerbolderbaking.com/keto-sugar-cookies-recipe/

[@thetrainhopper8992]

I keep my cookies in the microwave. It works as a bread box in a pinch.

[@jenovia22]

Great tips! Please do it about baking bread next time !

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Perhaps my article on the 7 common breadmaking mistakes, www.biggerbolderbaking.com/7-common-breadmaking-mistakes/ will help.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Hi Jen. Perhaps my article on the 7 common breadmaking mistakes will be of interest to you. Check it out here, www.biggerbolderbaking.com/7-common-breadmaking-mistakes/

[@abdulahmed-hg9cx]

When I bake I have a gas mark oven

[@marlenacorine2515]

How would you go about doubling or tripling a recipe?

[@maggielopez457]

Hi Gemma. God bless you. I Will love if you Can make Some Sugar free and gluten free Cookies or any recipe at all for Fall 🍁 thanks for your time. 😊

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Hi Maggie. Type in 'fall' in the search field over at www.biggerbolderbaking.com and it will give you a selection of fall recipes. The good news is you can substitute the sugar in many of my recipes.

[@bionicbunny3680]

Cookies looks amazing Gemma hope you have an amazing day

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thanks a million!

[@tyleenhaley-baca5709]

Question can you use a spouted grain flour?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Yes, you can use spouted gran flour in chocolate chip cookies. Hope this helps.

[@EileenJOfficial]

What heavy bottom sauce pan do you use?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I use different brands, among them is a Calphalon heavy bottomed saucepan. Hope this helps.

[@zennychellilaspinas4236]

Can I use bread flour for cookies?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Yes, absolutely. You may need to adjust the amount of liquids /wet ingredients as flours do not absorb liquids the same way. Gradually add the liquids when combining wet and dry ingredients, until the dough comes together and reaches the same consistency as shown in the video. I hope this helps.

[@kimhollenbeck1308]

Gemma,can baking chocolate be used in your chocolate chunk cookies recipe?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Yes, you can. Let me know how you get on with it, Kim.

[@kashifkhawaja3205]

Thank you for this very helpful Questions Answer session about cookies it's really very useful and helpful. You are a very intelligent very cute very talented very sweet very special innocent face pretty lady and your all ideas, recipes and tips are great. You are a genius and one in a million. You are the best among all the best. Your wonderful God-given gorgeous personality reveals your most valuable talents. You are the best among all the best may God bless you with the best. Be happy ❤

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@melodyrainertregear896]

I'm in South Africa. We have cake flour, bread flour and self raising flour. We don't have all purpose flour. I assume our cake flour is the same as your all purpose flour?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Hi Melody. No, they are not the same. Cake flour is all purpose flour with cornstarch added to it. Self raising flour is all purpose flour with baking powder in it. Bread flour is the closest to all purpose flour, the difference between the two is that bread flour has a slightly higher protein content than all purpose flour. Hope this helps.

[@anyaler]

I bake my cookies in South Africa with cake flour. As far as I can see on the Snowflake packet it is just wheat flour.

[@mariefrabutt3969]

Put a slice of fresh bread in the cookie container it keeps cookies fresh for a few days. Most cookies never last a few days if husbands and kids find them lol.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Lol! Truth!

[@coracollins9727]

Could you do a brack receipe for Halloween Gemma please?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I have a recipe for a Traditional Irish Barmbrack! Check it out here, www.biggerbolderbaking.com/traditional-irish-barmbrack/

[@margarethutchens5463]

The store went out of business but we had a bakery that only made cookies. Is a pizza pan the secret to those giant birthday cookies?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

It can be. I use a cast iron skillet whenever I make them.

[@marysullivan1588]

Can’t leave cookie dough in my refrigerator my mother eats it all 🤣

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Lol! Must be really good!

[@noushinmunir1875]

🍪🍪🍪🍪

[@gerardacronin334]

We don’t all have convection ovens, Gemma!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

A conventional oven will work well, too.

[@manjulaparameshwar6427]

One more question Gemma.... eggless cookies for chocolate chip

[@biggerbolderbaking]

You can substitute the eggs in cookie recipes. Check your options in mye gg substitute guide here, www.biggerbolderbaking.com/egg-substitutes-for-baking/ Hope this helps.

[@shraddhayadav6502]

It wll great if u bake some cookies or recipes healthy gluten free no sugar please ❤

[@biggerbolderbaking]

The good news is you can substitute the ingredients in many of my recipes to make it gluten-free and sugar-free 😊

[@keigolin]

for me, I always have problem about cookie dough never spread out as expect to be 😢

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@user-nm7nl5jh2j]

It could happen if you reduce the sugar and/or butter or are using a sugar substitute. I use xylose sugar, which is about 10% xylitol, and my desserts made with it tend to spread less and puff more.

[@keigolin]

@@user-nm7nl5jh2j ah, that's possible because I always reduce amount of sugar nearly half of recipe 😂 thank you for sharing!

[@user-nm7nl5jh2j]

@keigolin Honestly, same 😂 because my parents always want desserts that are "not too sweet!"

[@keigolin]

@@user-nm7nl5jh2j so cute you are!! so..we should accept that our cookies won't spread out 😂

[@JoanaPrincesa]

I deserve better😌

[@moduqueRN]

I see recipes using flavored oils using what looks like a medicine dropper. Do you ever use these oils? I have seen butternut, pineapple, butterscotch, etc.

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Generally, no. I have used them on occasion but I prefer extracts if I need to add flavor. It tastes more natural compared to oils.

[@moduqueRN]

@@biggerbolderbaking thanks so much!

[@kimhollenbeck1308]

Gemma,why do my cookies go hard after 3 days?

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Cookies tend to dry out after a few days. They really are best eaten freshly baked.

[@kimhollenbeck1308]

Can I make cookie batter and only use just enough batter to make 6 cookies at a time in your recipes and freeze the rest of the batter for another batch of cookies later on when company comes to our house

[@ashQueenJLT85]

Oh no! She threw a milk chocolate bar. I would eat it from the floor 😅

[@biggerbolderbaking]

LoL!

[@Scott-zh4kd]

First!

[@biggerbolderbaking]

Thanks for being here.

[@charlottemaitland8457]

Why’s she gatekeep like that. If you want to use unsalted butter or chocolate chips do it. The fact you’re trying out baking is great

[@biggerbolderbaking]

I think you missed the point I made here. Bakers have options. I prefer salted butter and chocolate chunks yield a much better result flavor-wise, but anyone can opt to use unsalted butter and chocolate chips. I use them too in a few recipes. Bake according to preference.

[@lisca2866]

It’s not gatekeeping it’s expert advice. You can choose to take it or ignore it up to you, but most of the time, when a professional suggests something it’s because they know what they’re talking about.

[@tharangaroshini7719]

Thank you