The name is the first thing I notice on a new cookie recipe. Descriptive flavors appeal to me, especially if it’s unusual. Flavors like coffee or rosemary interest me more than a sugar cookie. Not to say you can’t have a lot of fun spicing up a plain sugar cookie with some interesting spices.
I like to read the ingredient list. If the recipe calls for something I don’t have on hand, I wonder if it’s worth getting. I’m trying to see if I can make a substitution. I am known for swapping cottage cheese for sour cream to reduce fat. I also like to make substitutions for spices or extracts. With cookies that involve fruit, I’ll use one berry for another or use figs instead of dates to avoid running to the store. You can create many happy accidents with well placed substitutions.
If I don’t understand the ingredient, I immediately don’t like the recipe. For example, a recipe that calls for powdered sugar could easily say very fine sugar or instruct you to grind some regular sugar in your food processor. I think of these recipes as a bit of a snob. (Powdered sugar is used because it dissolves faster and more thoroughly.)
On the other hand, a recipe calling for corn syrup or a box of cake mix or a can of frosting is also not likely to be up to the task. One of the reasons I bake is to avoid artificial chemicals and overly sweet recipes. If there is a sticky frosting involved then I know they are selling sugar over any real flavor.
Ingredients are not the only reason to select a cookie or bar recipe. I also like to read how long does it take to bake. Cookies that take more than 20 minutes or bars that take more than 35 minutes are generally not suitable. I don’t like spending a lot of electricity on a single recipe, nor do I like spending a lot of time on a single recipe.
If the instructions are multiple pages long, I know I’m having trouble. A cookie generally involves whipping some type of sugar with some type of fat and then adding flour, flavorings, and nuts or fruits. I used to avoid cookies that said “cool overnight”. Now I understand that chilling allows the aromas to spread throughout the dough and solidify it for better baking results. I often make multiple recipes at once (since the ingredients are so similar) and bake them the next day. Or I’ll make larger amounts and freeze some of the dough to use later.
Like everything, there are exceptions. I make cookie cutouts at Christmas and have collected more do-dads to decorate over the years than I will ever use. Decorating takes time and some of that sugary frosting, but it’s only once a year and it looks so festive. Finding a good cut out cookie can be a challenge.
So next time you’re looking in your cookbook or looking online for a good cookie recipe, ask yourself these questions. Do the ingredients include flavors (other than sugar) that you like? Is it worth going to the store to buy special ingredients? Are you really baking from scratch or just adding more toppings to a cake mix? Are the instructions easy? How long does it take to bake? And does it require pots or special tools that you don’t have? The answers will help you focus on taste, healthier options, and convenience.
Ultimately, it is the taste of the cookie that determines whether the recipe is good. Do not forget to write down the ones you like, not only for their taste, but for their ease of use.