How to Make Homemade Cookies

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There's nothing like a batch of homemade cookies to lift your spirits and make your house smell wonderful. Homemade cookies aren't much more difficult to make than the slice and bake kind, but they taste a lot better. Read on to learn how to make a variety of popular cookies.

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 ounces chocolate chips
  • 2 ¼ cups plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Sugar Cookies

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

  • 1 ¾ cups white sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 3 cups quick oatmeal
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Ginger Cookies

  • ¾ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Making Chocolate Chip Cookies

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Put the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and whisk them together.
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  3. Place them in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat them together until the butter and sugars are fully combined and the mixture has turned light and fluffy.
  4. Keep beating the mixture until the eggs and vanilla are completely blended in.
  5. Use a long-handled spoon to stir the dry ingredients in with the wet; keep stirring until you can't see any white specks of flour.
  6. Pour them into the bowl and use the spoon to mix them in with the batter.
  7. Use a spoon or a small ice cream scoop to scoop even amounts of batter onto a baking sheet. Space them an inch or two apart so they'll have room to spread while baking.
    • To keep the cookies from sticking to the baking sheet, you can line it with parchment paper before placing the cookies on it.
    • For perfectly even cookies, use a 1/8 measuring cup to scoop the batter.
  8. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown on top and the edges look slightly crisp.
  9. Place them on a cooling rack or move them to a plate and let them cool until they aren't too hot to eat.
  10. Enjoy!
    Sarah Kieffer, Award-winning Baker and Author

    Making cookies is a simple pleasure that brings joy to so many people. It's a way to show love, to celebrate, to comfort, and to connect with others. And it's a way to express creativity, to experiment with flavors and textures, and to make something uniquely your own.

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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Making Sugar Cookies

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  1. [1]
  2. Place the flour and baking soda in a bowl. Whisk until they are fully combined. [2]
  3. [3] Place the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a bowl and beat until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy.
  4. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients. [4] Use a long-handled spoon to stir the batter until you can no longer see the specks of white flour.
  5. Use a spoon or a small ice cream scoop to place even amounts of cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Space them an inch or two apart to allow the cookies room to spread. [5]
  6. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the cookies flat.
  7. This will give the cookies a sweet, crunchy finish.
  8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the tops turn slightly golden.
  9. Remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack or a plate. Let them cool for a minute or two before eating.
  10. Sugar cookies are fun to decorate with glaze or icing. Add sprinkles or edible glitter to make them look festive.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Making No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

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  1. Place them in a saucepan. Put the saucepan on the stove and turn the burner to medium high. Let the milk and sugar come to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves, which should take about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat. [6]
  2. Pour the ingredients into the saucepan and stir them in until they're completely incorporated.
    • You can add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder to make chocolate peanut butter cookies.
    • Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter
  4. Use a spoon or a small ice cream scoop to scoop the batter in even amounts onto a baking sheet.
  5. As they cool, they'll harden slightly. When you can pick them up without them falling apart, they're ready to eat.
  6. Save some treats for later by storing them in the fridge, which will keep them from melting and falling apart.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Making Ginger Cookies

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  1. Put the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves in a bowl. Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together.
  2. Place them in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to beat the ingredients until they become light and fluffy.
  3. Place the egg, vanilla, and molasses in the bowl with the butter and sugars. Beat the wet ingredients until they are fully combined. [7]
    EXPERT TIP

    Dev Murphy, MA

    wikiHow Staff Writer
    Dev Murphy is a wikiHow Staff Writer with experience working as a teacher, ghostwriter, copyeditor, and illustrator. She loves writing how-to articles because she loves learning new things and because she believes knowledge should be free and accessible to the world. Dev's creative writing and visual art have been featured in many venues online and in print. When she is not writing for wikiHow, she is drawing pictures, making perfume, or writing hybrid poems. Dev earned her MA in English Literature from Ohio University in 2017. She lives in Pittsburgh with her cat, Nick.
    Dev Murphy, MA
    wikiHow Staff Writer

    "If you're out of molasses, try substituting an equal amount of honey or maple syrup. Maple syrup is sweeter than molasses, so it'll result in sweeter cookies that also have a slight caramel flavor. Honey has a lighter flavor than molasses, which is a bit richer and warmer, so it'll make your cookies taste a little brighter and more floral. (I personally prefer honey over molasses in my gingersnaps!)"

  4. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Use a spoon to stir the batter until you no longer see specks of white flour.
  5. Use your hands to form it into a ball shape, then place it on a sheet of plastic wrap and pull up the edges to completely wrap the dough ball. Put it in the refrigerator and chill for 1/2 hour.
  7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and put it on a floured work surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to 1 ⁄ 4 inch (0.6 cm) thickness.
  8. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough, then place the unbaked cookies on a baking sheet as you go.
  9. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake the cookies for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven before the edges brown.
  10. Place them on a cooling rack or a plate and let them cool for a minute before eating.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Making Other Cookies

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  1. . This Italian cookie is usually served with espresso or red wine.
  2. . This riff on the sugar cookie combines the delectable flavors of cinnamon and sugar.
  3. . These hearty cookies make a great after school snack.
  4. . There's nothing like two types of chocolate in the same cookie to satisfy your cravings.
  5. . They're a combination of buttery shortbread and sweet jam.
  6. . These little bursts of sunshine are a perfect treat for afternoon tea.
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How Do You Make The Best Homemade Cookies?


Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Should I flatten cookies before baking?
    Quynh La
    Professional Baker
    Quynh La is a Professional Baker and the Owner of Sugar Bakery & Cafe in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in baking cakes, cookies, croissants, and bread. Quynh holds an AAS in Culinary Arts from South Seattle College and a second AAS in Specialty Desserts & Bread from Seattle Central College.
    Quynh La
    Professional Baker
    Expert Answer
    If you want a crispy texture, definitely! A lot of people don't like to press their cookies down because they enjoy a chewier texture.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 6
  • Question
    What is the secret to making cookies?
    Quynh La
    Professional Baker
    Quynh La is a Professional Baker and the Owner of Sugar Bakery & Cafe in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in baking cakes, cookies, croissants, and bread. Quynh holds an AAS in Culinary Arts from South Seattle College and a second AAS in Specialty Desserts & Bread from Seattle Central College.
    Quynh La
    Professional Baker
    Expert Answer
    Make sure that your butter is at room temperature before you get started! Your egg doesn't need to be at room temperature, but people don't realize that sometimes.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 4
  • Question
    How much is in a cup?
    Qamar
    Top Answerer
    There are 3 ounces (85 grams) in a cup.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      References

      1. ↑ Quynh La. Professional Baker. Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.
      2. ↑ Quynh La. Professional Baker. Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.
      3. ↑ Quynh La. Professional Baker. Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.
      4. ↑ Quynh La. Professional Baker. Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.
      5. ↑ http://www.food.com/recipe/eloises-easy-sugar-cookies-82945
      6. ↑ http://www.shugarysweets.com/2013/04/peanut-butter-no-bake-cookies
      7. ↑ http://www.joyofbaking.com/Gingersnaps.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to make homemade chocolate chip cookies, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl, then cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a separate bowl. Add your eggs and vanilla to the wet ingredients, then stir in the flour mixture with a long-handled spoon. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet, leaving the cookies spaced about an inch apart. Bake the cookies in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, then let them cool for 5 minutes and enjoy! Keep reading to learn how to make homemade sugar cookies!

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      • Cara A.

        Jul 1, 2020

        "I surprised my mom with these cookies and she loved them. However, I didn't have any chocolate chips, so I ..." more
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