Cookie Dough: Pan Portioning Guide

Baking cookies is a fun and easy activity, but it can be tricky to get the perfect batch. One of the most important factors in achieving cookie success is using the right amount of dough for your pan. So, how much cookie dough should you put in a 4-pan?

Well, it depends on the size of your pan and the desired thickness of your cookies. As a general rule, you want to leave enough space between each ball of dough to allow for spreading during baking. For a standard half sheet pan (18x13 inches), dividing your dough into 4 equal portions and placing them in the pan should work well. This will give you a nice balance of thickness and allow for some spreading.

If you're using a smaller pan or want thicker cookies, you might want to adjust the portion size accordingly. It's important to keep in mind that the baking time will also depend on the density and temperature of the dough, as well as the number of mix-ins like nuts or chocolate chips. So, it's always a good idea to keep an eye on your cookies while they're in the oven and adjust the baking time as needed.

With the right amount of dough and a little patience, you'll be well on your way to becoming a cookie-baking pro!

How to make chocolate chip cookies

Making chocolate chip cookies is a fun and easy process. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to make them:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 oz/225 g) of butter, melted and cooled
• 1 ¼ cups (7 ½ oz/213 g) of dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g) of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups (12 ½ oz/355 g) of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup (6 oz/175 g) of chocolate chips or chunks

Method:

• Whisk together the melted butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Be sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mixture and whisk until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until mostly combined. Do not overmix the cookie dough at this stage.
• Divide the cookie dough into 4 equal portions and place each portion into a medium-sized bowl.
• Add your desired mix-ins to each bowl and mix until combined. You can get creative with the mix-ins or follow some of the suggestions below:

• For chocolate chip cookies, add 1 cup (6 oz/175 g) of chocolate chips or chunks.
• For oatmeal raisin cookies, add 2 tablespoons of oats and 2 tablespoons of raisins.
• For peanut butter cookies, add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of chopped peanuts.
• For double chocolate cookies, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of chopped chocolate.

• Place each portion of cookie dough onto a quadrant of your sheet pan, using a rubber spatula to flatten each section evenly. The cookie dough should fill the entire sheet pan, and they will be touching.
• Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies should be slightly underbaked as they will continue to cook as they cool on the sheet pan.
• Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan, then cut them into squares or rectangles.
• Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Tips:

• It is important to chill the cookie dough for at least 2 hours before baking to allow the flavors to develop and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
• To ensure uniform-sized cookies, use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough.
• For extra-thick cookies, roll the cookie dough balls tall and lumpy, rather than wide and smooth.
• Do not flatten the cookie dough balls before baking, as this will cause them to spread too much.
• If you want to freeze the cookie dough, scoop it into heaped tablespoons and place them on a baking tray. Cover the cookies with cling wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

How to make peanut butter cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Extra granulated sugar, for rolling cookies in

Optional:

1 cup of chopped peanuts or chocolate chips

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter together until combined. Add the sugars and beat until creamy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don't overmix.
• Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and form a cookie dough ball. Roll in granulated sugar. Place cookies on a prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes or until they are golden at the edges and just set. Don't overbake, the cookies will set as they cool.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Tips:

• For chunky peanut butter cookies, stir in up to 1 cup of chopped peanuts or chocolate chips.
• If you want to chill the dough before baking, cover it tightly and it will keep in the fridge for up to 72 hours.
• To store baked cookies, keep them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. To keep them soft, place a piece of bread in the container.
• You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
• If you want to freeze cookie dough, place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to make oatmeal raisin cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 oz/225 g) butter, melted and cooled
• 1 ¼ cups (7 ½ oz/213 g) dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups (12 ½ oz/355 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 heaped teaspoons rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

Firstly, preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C.

Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, both sugars, eggs and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a spatula to form your cookie dough.

Cover and chill the dough for a minimum of 2 hours (and up to 2 days) before proceeding to avoid overspreading when baking.

Using a ¼ cup measure, divide the cookie dough base into 14 portions, weighing about 2 ½ oz (71 g) each. For each flavour, make a well in the centre of a portion of dough. Now, add your mix-ins of choice and fold the dough over itself a few times to ensure that the ingredients are incorporated, then roll into a ball.

Place the cookies 4 inches (10 cm) apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for roughly 12 minutes or until the cookies are a little doughy in the centre but nicely browned around the edges.

Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

How to make salted caramel cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup caramel chips
• 18 caramel candies (such as Werther’s), each piece cut into 6 segments
• Heavy cream
• Flaky sea salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the brown sugar, butter, and white sugar until creamy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix.
• Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and mix until the dough is combined.
• Fold in the chocolate and caramel chips.
• Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch-2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 12-13 minutes. Do not over-bake these! You want them to be nice and chewy.
• Right when the cookies come out of the oven, press 3 caramel pieces into the top of each cookie and then sprinkle with coarse salt. The caramels will melt and the salt will set in.
• If needed, place the cookies back into the oven for an additional minute to help the caramel pieces melt in the cookie.

Tips:

• Make sure your oven is preheated to 350°F.
• The dough can be made ahead of time up to 24 hours in advance, and it can also be frozen. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then still wait to add the caramel bits and salt to the dough after baking.
• If you have leftovers (which is doubtful!), you can store them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container.

Variations:

You can also make these cookies as part of a batch of four different flavours of cookies, all baked on one sheet pan. The other three flavours could include:

• Chocolate chip cookies (classic!)
• Double chocolate chip cookies
• Funfetti/Birthday cake

How to make cookie dough without eggs

To make eggless cookie dough, you will need the following ingredients:

• Butter (unsalted and softened)
• Brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Flour (all-purpose)
• Milk (whole or almond)
• Salt
• Chocolate chips (optional)

First, cream together the butter and sugars. Add in the vanilla extract and milk, and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too soft, add a little more flour; if it's too dry, add a dash of milk. You can also add chocolate chips or other mix-ins of your choice.

This eggless cookie dough is perfect for those who want to enjoy the taste of cookie dough without the risk of consuming raw eggs. It can be enjoyed as it is or used in other desserts such as truffles, ice cream, or brownies. However, it is not suitable for baking into cookies as it lacks some key ingredients.

• For a sugar cookie dough, replace the brown sugar with additional granulated sugar and add white chocolate chips or sprinkles.
• For a double chocolate cookie dough, remove 2 tablespoons of flour and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
• For a peanut butter cookie dough, add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and an extra tablespoon of granulated sugar. You can also add peanut butter cups or chips.

Frequently asked questions