Hello Bakers,
On Saturday’s show we talked more about ratios and I broke down the percentages of basic roll out and slice and bake cookies. Here is the link to: Saturday's Show
Basic cookie dough follows a 3:2:1 ratio, 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat and 1 part sugar.
Sugar cookies that are rolled out and cut out with cookie cutters or formed into a log and chilled, sliced and baked are typically more lower hydrated that a cookie dough that is dropped, like a chocolate chip or oatmeal. Add it’s a good idea to add a little egg to help bind the dough together and make the dough easier to roll out. Flavorings and can also be added.
Before the show I made the vanilla butter version and on the show I made the lemon poppyseed version.
I really believe that the more we know the better we bake and with the millions of recipes out there on the internet knowing about ratios can help us quickly decide if a recipe is worth out time and ingredients.
In addition, ratios can help us create our own formulas - which often work extremely well.
The two variations are below - they are small batch on purpose so that you can practice the recipe and customize it to your liking. It can be scaled up directly to make a larger batch.
Vanila Butter Slices
Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, parchment paper, half sheet pan, ruler, rolling pin and cutters for rolled and cut out cookies.
Ingredients:
113g unsalted butter - softened (70 degrees)
57g granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
18g of egg (whisk an egg until smooth and weigh 18g) reserve the leftover for egg wash.
170g all purpose flour, sifted
pinch salt
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until well combined - about 2 minutes of mixing on medium speed.
Scrape down and add the egg, mix until combined about 1 minute.
Add flour and salt.
Mix on low until the dough becomes a cohesive mass.
Place the dough on your work surface and form into a log.
Wrap in parchment paper and use a ruler to tighten the roll. See show episode - time code for demo of this. (28:30)
Chill for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. 20 minutes before slicing or rolling out, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut into 1/2” slices. Or roll out dough 1/4” thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place on parchment lined sheet pan.
Bake for 12-13 minutes or until lightly golden and fully baked.
Notes: If slicing the cookies, the roll can be brushed with water and rolled in sugar or sanding sugar.
Lemon Poppy Seed Variation:
Add the zest of one lemon, omit vanilla, add 1/4 teas lemon extract and 18g poppy seeds. Add the zest and extract to the butter and sugar mixture and whisk the poppyseeds into the sifted flour.
Lemon flat icing: 170g confectioners sugar, 28g of lemon juice, 28g melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
Cookies will keep for a week at room temperature in an airtight container.
Cookie dough will keep 5 days in the refrigerator and 1 month in the freezer.