In the Mood for Cookies? Bake a Small Batch of Cookies for a Sweet Treat

Did you grow up with the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip, peanut butter, or sugar cookies wafting throughout your home?

It didn’t always have to be a holiday as a good reason to enjoy a batch of cookies. Often, on Wednesdays, there would be a plate of warm, slightly gooey cookies, fresh out of the oven with buttery, crispy edges waiting for me after school.

As an adult, a craving for a plate of oven-fresh cookies still brings up moments of nostalgia and gives an excuse to bake.

However, the idea of being able to successfully bake less than two or three dozen cookies might seem impossible. Before you decide to give up on the idea of indulging in some delectable cookie goodness, don’t put up your baking sheet just yet. There is a solution.

Small batch cookies are the answer.

Maybe you discovered you only have a scant amount of key ingredients to bake cookies. Or, you only want to eat a handful of cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth. A small batch of cookies is the best way to devour the cookies your heart desires most and tantalize your palate. 

A small batch of cookies is pure kitchen magic at its finest. If you never thought you could stretch your ingredients to create a worthy cookie that tastes just as good as when making a larger, standard batch, think again. You can.

One secret to small batch cookie success is to make sure you do the necessary prep work.

Second, you will want to ensure accurate measurements and proportions for a perfectly balanced and tasty cookie.

Last, make sure specific ingredients are at room temperature, chilled, or follow set steps to get desirable textures and taste just right. 

(Here’s looking at you, adding the wet ingredients into the dry. Or, here's to adding ingredients in a specific order. It does make a difference.)

I have a child that is excited about cooking, curious about different types of food, and enjoys plating dishes beautifully. Working together to whip up a small batch of cookies is a fun and enjoyable way to instill love and respect for baking and the culinary arts. 

Plus, when following a small batch cookie recipe, there is a high chance of getting good results and less mishaps. So, this instills confidence and encourages trying out other recipe ideas in the future with young ones.

If you are feeling stumped about what types of cookies are worth baking, check out the following to get started:

• Chocolate Chip
• Oatmeal
• Peanut Butter
• Snickerdoodle
• Sugar Cookie

You can make things more interesting by choosing different add-ins for your cookies.

Don’t skip out on the fun and consider adding the following tasty ingredients to your recipe. (Of course, be mindful that what you add-in might impact the moisture and texture of your cookie, so take care and enjoy a tastier treat.)

Amplify the deliciousness of your small batch cookies with the following goodies:

• Apricots (dried)
• Caramel (a swirl)
• Cranberries
• Dates
• Nuts
• Raisins
• Shredded Coconut
• Sprinkles
• White Chocolate Chips

Let your imagination help inspire you. And don’t forget to trust your gut and working knowledge to guide you when following a recipe.

Happy baking! And good luck not eating the entire batch as soon as it gets out of the oven.

Food for Thought?

Are there any absolute kitchen must-haves when baking a small batch of cookies?

It’s is vital to have good measurement tools, including measuring cups and spoons for accuracy. If you can, consider investing in a kitchen scale to weigh out ingredients.

Don’t skip out on a quality mixing bowl or two in a good size to keep your recipe inside the container and not spilling out on the sides. Also, keep in mind that the type of baking sheet you use and adding a sheet of parchment paper will impact the color and bake time.

Is it better to use unsalted or salted butter when making cookies?

I am a huge fan of baking and cooking with butter and cannot sing its praises enough. Sorry, but I’m not big on alternatives to butter when it comes to baking. And, I think it is far better to use unsalted butter over salted butter.

Be advised, if you choose salted butter, you may want to adjust the amount of salt needed for your recipe!

Can I use ingredient substitutions when baking cookies?

Yes, you can definitely use ingredient substitutions for butter, sugar, eggs, or flour in a cookie recipe. However, because you are venturing off the established ingredients and recipe, you’ll have to play around with the results. 

After some tweaking, you can still end up with a delicious batch of cookies that will make you proud and confound traditionalists. Be patient and work toward a tasty small batch of cookies, whether you need ingredient substitutions to make your treats vegan, gluten-free, or avoid allergens.

Should I make adjustments with the time and temperature when baking a small batch of cookies?

Depending on the type of oven you are using to bake, ingredients used, and your altitude, you may need to adjust how much time you'll need to bake your cookies and the temperature.

When in doubt, you may get better results when you slightly underbake your cookies by a minute or two of cook time. However, be patient with your oven and cookie recipe to get the best results.

Can I use a countertop toaster oven to bake a small batch of cookies?

I highly recommend using a countertop toaster oven to bake a small batch of cookies if you are baking off half a dozen or less. It’s like an Easy Bake Oven for Adults.

And it feels so guilt-free when you are indulging in less than a dozen cookies, doesn’t it?

What’s the best way to store a small batch of cookies?

Can’t get enough of containers like ornate tea tins, mason jars, or other wonderful kitchen storage choices? Make sure to find an air-tight container to store cooked cookies or consider placing an apple or slice of bread with your cookies to help retain moisture.

If you have unbaked cookies, feel free to store scooped portions in a storage bag or container in the freezer and date them. When you are in the mood to bake up a batch of cookies, you can pull out the desired number and don’t have to bake the entire recipe.

Where should I go to get necessary kitchen essentials before baking?

There are so many excellent places to source kitchen essentials to ensure your baking is a success. I highly recommend the following retailers to outfit your kitchen. Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, Target, World Market, and even Burlington.

However, don’t discount finding kitchen essentials at thrift stores, yard sales, or online with reputable sellers.

Do I have to chill my cookie dough before I put my small batch in the oven?

For most cookie recipes, the suggestion to chill your cookie dough for 20 minutes to as much as a few hours or overnight might show up. Chilling the cookie dough might help reduce overspreading cookies and help the ingredients and flavors mingle together before baking off. 

For some recipes, it might not make much of a difference if you chill your cookie dough before baking. However, you’ll want to make sure you used ingredients that were cold, or room temperature as directed by the recipe.

My cookies didn’t come out the way I wanted, what did I do wrong?

Take your time when making a small batch of cookies, until you get the hang of the recipe. It is critical to ensure accurate measuring of ingredients, good temperature control, and give your cookies enough bake time. 

Also, when using ingredient substitutions, this might throw off your expected results. Practice, patience, and making proper adjustments will help ensure a delicious result with your small cookie batch. 

Don’t give up when your cookies come out a little less than ideal the first go. Cooking is an artform not to be rushed.