Author: Caitlin

We’ve rounded up 15 great tips to help you become a better baker and make the best baked goods!

1. That brown sugar in the pantry feeling a little rock hard? Microwave it with a wet paper towel for 20-30 seconds to soften it up!
2. Always use fresh baking soda! Old baking soda can cause flat cookies.
3. ALWAYS use room temperature eggs and butter unless the recipe calls for melted butter. An old vintage tip is heating the sugar to make hard butter cream better. Room temperature ingredients combine so much easier into batter creating even texture.
4. If you don’t have time to wait around for your butter to soften and don’t want to heat up your sugar, use a heating pad.
5. Do not overmix your cookie dough, unless you like tough cookies, than mix to your heart’s desire!
6. This is a pretty good one. If you are using sticky ingredients such as honey or molasses, spray whatever measuring tool you are using with cooking spray first and your ingredients will slide right off.
7. Using all white sugar will give you hard, crunchy cookies. All brown sugar will give you tender, chewy cookies.
8. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop and make perfectly even dough drops.
9. Do not grease your baking pan, it will make cookies spread. Using parchment a latex cookie baking sheet can make the heat spread more evenly.
10. We know it’s extremely tempting, but leave the oven door shut the entire baking period. Inconsistencies in baking temperatures can affect how your cookies cook and rise.
11. If your baked goods in the back of the oven are browning faster than those in the front, your oven is hotter in the back than the front. Turn the baking sheet around half way during baking.
12. Burned the bottom of your cookies? No problem! Use a zester to shave off the burnt bottom.
13. Store cookies in an airtight container or bag and they will last up to 6 months. Just pop one in the microwave for 45 seconds and voila!
14. Having a hard time whipping your whipped cream? Add a few drops of lemon juice!
15. Having trouble slicing through that cake? Warm up a knife with warm water, or if it’s fresh from the dishwasher, that works too. Slice on through without any clumps or cake falling apart.

I thought this Healthy Baking Substitutes guide from Picklee was also super helpful, especially if you have dietary restrictions.

Also check out this sweet Frozen Food Storage Chart! Total saver!