The Wine Glass Hack For Perfectly Round Cookies Every Time
Is there anything better than a freshly made chocolate chip cookie? Some might argue that any homemade cookie is a good cookie: We don't need them to be pretty, we just need them to be sweet and buttery and fresh out of the oven. But if cookie perfection is what you're seeking, there is a clever hack for producing uniformly round cookies. Making cookies is easy if you follow the correct instructions, but it does require using precise measurements and maintaining the right temperature for your ingredients; otherwise, you could end up with excessively spread-out cookies. The good news is that even if you don't have time to shape each glob of dough meticulously, you can still achieve perfectly shaped cookies. You don't need measuring spoons for this; all you need is a sturdy wine glass.
Drop cookies are so-called because their recipes call for a spoonful of dough to be dropped onto a prepared cookie sheet. However, this imprecise action doesn't always result in perfectly round cookies. To even out the edges, take a glass, invert it, and then swirl it around the warm cookie to shape the cookies after baking. You can use anything round that's slightly bigger than the cookie — a cookie cutter or a mug would do the trick. However, using a clear glass allows you to witness the process, and reduces the risk of damaging the cookies.
How to shape cookies perfectly
Though this clever hack has been around for a while, it's gaining traction thanks to a few TikTok users who showed the trick in action. This hack works for all rounded cookies, but timing is crucial. The reshaping needs to be accomplished while the dough is still pliable but set. Attempting this directly out of the oven could push the molten cookie dough into an unsightly lump. But if you wait too long the cookie will just crumble. The ideal timing is 30-60 seconds out of the oven, which will allow the base of the cookie to release from the pan. Also, make sure to bake the cookies on parchment paper to prevent them from sticking, as any sticking will cause the cookies to break. TikTok user @babychrismom even recommends using foil instead of paper to create a more slippery surface for your glass to slide around.
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Once you've determined that your cookies aren't stuck, place the glass over the cookie, then gently and swiftly move the rounded edge of the glass around the cookie, shaping it as you go. This motion will push the edges into a perfect circle. Be careful to choose a glass larger than the cookie so that you don't clip off any of the cookie's dough or the surrounding cookies.
Adjusting the dough to get perfect cookies
While this hack is relatively foolproof, there are steps you can take before resorting to the wine glass to prevent your cookies from spreading excessively in the first place. First, pay attention to ingredient temperatures; they are crucial. Using room-temperature butter helps to achieve the proper creamed texture, which incorporates air that assists the cookie in rising rather than spreading. Also, chilling your dough for at least 30 minutes helps it set up better. You can also roll your dough into balls to place on the sheet rather than just drop them from a spoon. Use chilled dough and damp hands, and work quickly.
If you're looking for complete perfection and have the time and patience to make a rolled and cut-out cookie, the wine glass is still your friend. Once the dough is rolled to an even thickness, use the wine glass to cut perfect circles in the dough. Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake according to the recipe. Keep your wine glass on hand in case they spread or become misshapen while baking, to give them a final post-bake swirl. Once the cookies have set for a few minutes, move them to a rack to cool so that they keep that lovely circular shape.