The name is the first thing I notice in a new cookie recipe. Descriptive flavors appeal to me, especially if it’s unusual. Flavors like coffee or rosemary interest me more than a sugar cookie. Not to say you can’t have a lot of fun spicing up a simple sugar cookie with some interesting spices.
I like to read the ingredient list. If the recipe calls for something I don’t have on hand, I wonder if it’s worth getting. I’m trying to see if I can make a substitution. I’ve been known to swap cottage cheese for sour cream to cut down on the fat. I also like to make substitutions for spices or extracts. With cookies that involve fruit, I’ll use one berry for another or use figs instead of dates to avoid running to the store. You can create many happy accidents with well-placed substitutions.
If I don’t understand the ingredient, I immediately don’t like the recipe. For example, a recipe that calls for superfine sugar could just as easily say very fine sugar or instruct you to crush some regular sugar in your food processor. I think of these recipes as a bit snobbish. (Powdered sugar is used because it dissolves faster and more thoroughly.)
On the other hand, a recipe that calls for corn syrup or a box of cake mix or a can of frosting isn’t likely to qualify either. One of the reasons I bake is to avoid artificial chemicals and overly sweet recipes. If there’s a gooey frosting involved, then I know they’re selling sugar over any real flavor.
Ingredients aren’t the only reason to select a cookie or bar recipe. I also like to read how long it takes to bake. Cookies that take longer than 20 minutes or bars that take longer than 35 minutes generally do not make the grade. I don’t like spending a lot of electricity on a single recipe, nor do I like spending a lot of time on a single item.
If the instructions have multiple pages, I know I’m in trouble. Most of the time, a cookie consists of beating some type of sugar with some type of fat, and then adding flour, flavorings, and nuts or fruit. I used to avoid cookies that said “chill overnight.” I now understand that chilling allows the flavors to spread throughout the batter and solidify it for better baking results. I often make several recipes at once (since the ingredients are so similar) and bake them the next day. Or I’ll make larger batches and freeze some of the dough to use later.
As with everything, there are exceptions. I make cutout cookies at Christmas and over the years I have collected more do-dads to decorate than I will ever use. Decorating takes time and some of that sugary frosting, but it’s only once a year and it looks very festive. Finding a good cookie cutout can be challenging.
So the next time you’re looking in your cookbook or browsing online for a great cookie recipe, ask yourself these questions. Do the ingredients include flavors (other than sugar) that you like? Is it worth going to the store to get special ingredients? Are you really baking from scratch or just adding more ingredients to a cake mix? Are the instructions easy? How long do you need to bake? And does it require special pans or tools that you may not have? The answers will help you focus on taste, healthier options, and convenience.
Ultimately, it is the taste of the cookie that determines whether the recipe is valid. Do not forget to write down the ones that you like the most, not only for their taste, but for their ease of use.