The Icy Hack You Need To Prevent Cookies From Spreading In The Oven

When you're craving something sweet, there are few things more satisfying than some freshly baked cookies. However, it can be frustrating to take your cookies out of the oven and see that they've spread out and baked into one another. Chilling the dough prior to baking the treats can be an easy way to help the cookies retain their shape. But if you're baking up drop cookies and just want to prevent spreading, letting the dough rest in some ice water can help speed up the process.

You'll want to make sure the dough is completely protected from the water, either by placing it in an airtight resealable bag, or wrapping it up in cling film and tying off the ends. After the dough has chilled in the ice water for a bit, it can be scooped and added to a baking sheet and baked as usual. The added chilling time will help the cookie dough keep their shape, and the treats will be less likely to spread out.

To prepare the process, you'll need to start with a bowl large enough to fit all of your dough, as well as the ice water. Then, fill the bowl with water and ice cubes. If the ice begins to melt, gradually add more until the cubes remain intact.

Place the dough in the resealable plastic bag, then grab your rolling pin and spread it out as flat as you can. The flatter the dough, the less time it will need to spend in the ice water. This is because the dough will have a larger surface area that can come in contact with the ice water, and it will cool down more quickly.

Once the bag of flattened dough is sealed, place it in the ice water and allow it to cool down. Allow it to chill for around 20 minutes before removing the bag. Then, just scoop the dough out onto the baking tray.

There are a few reasons why chilling your cookie dough is important to the baking process. According to King Arthur Baking, chilling allows the fat in the dough to firm up. In the oven, that fat could melt and spread, causing your cooking to come out especially flat. By chilling the dough, it may remain solid for longer, and your cookies won't spread out as much.

Additionally, chilling dough can improve the texture and flavor of your cookies. When given time to rest, the flour in the dough breaks down a little, allowing the sugar to shine through and sweeten things a little more. Chilling allows the dough to dry out a little, which can make the texture of the cookies crispy on the outside while staying soft and fluffy on the inside.

The next time you're baking up a batch of homemade cookies, don't make the mistake of forgetting to chill the dough. Try letting your dough rest in an ice bath for a bit before baking them in the oven.