How to Bake Homemade Cookies: A Step-by-Step Recipe for Beginners

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your home. Homemade cookies aren’t just a delicious treat, they’re also a fun way to express your creativity in the kitchen. Making them is easier than you might think, and the results are sure to delight you and your loved ones. In this article, I’ll walk you through how to bake tasty cookies, step by step.

Ingredients:

For a basic cookie recipe, you'll need simple ingredients that are usually found in most households:

• 200 g flour
• 100 g butter (you can substitute with margarine)
• 100 g sugar (or to taste)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking powder or 0.5 tsp baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract or vanilla sugar (to taste)

Optional ingredients (to customize):

• Chocolate chips
• Nuts
• Raisins
• Shredded coconut
• Cinnamon

Step 1: Prepare your ingredients

Before you start making the dough, make sure all your ingredients are at hand and at room temperature. The butter should be soft so it’s easier to mix with other ingredients. If your butter is cold, cut it into cubes and leave it out for a few minutes to soften.

Step 2: Cream butter and sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with sugar until it becomes light and fluffy. You can do this manually with a whisk or use a mixer. This should take about 2–3 minutes. Add vanilla extract for extra flavor.

Step 3: Add the egg

Beat one egg into the butter-sugar mixture and mix well. The egg will help bind the dough and give it a smoother texture.

Step 4: Mix dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift the flour along with the baking powder (or soda) and a pinch of salt. Sifting helps avoid lumps in the dough and makes the cookies more light and airy.

Step 5: Combine dry and wet ingredients

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture, stirring well with a spoon or spatula. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, you can add a little more flour.

Step 6: Add optional ingredients

If you want to spice up your cookies, now is the time to fold in extras like chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins. Mix until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 7: Form the cookies

Now it's time to shape the cookies. You can use a spoon to drop the dough onto a baking sheet, or roll the dough into small balls with your hands. For evenly sized cookies, use a measuring spoon or a cookie scoop. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them as they will spread during baking.

Step 8: Bake the cookies

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the cookies for about 10–12 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. The baking time may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on the cookies to avoid burning. When the edges are golden and the center is still slightly soft, remove them from the oven—they will finish cooking as they cool.

Step 9: Let the cookies cool

Once out of the oven, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you don’t have a wire rack, you can leave them on the parchment paper until they cool.

Tips for Making the Perfect Cookies:

1. Don’t overmix the dough: Once all the ingredients are combined, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
2. Room temperature butter is key to soft, fluffy dough. Cold butter doesn’t mix well with sugar, and melted butter makes the dough too runny.
3. Experiment with different add-ins: Try adding dried fruit, lemon or orange zest, sesame seeds, or coconut flakes for a unique flavor twist.
4. Storage: If you don’t eat them all right away (which is rare!), store your cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and fresh for longer.

Now that you know how to bake homemade cookies, it’s time to put this simple recipe to the test. Feel free to experiment with different flavors and make each batch uniquely yours. Enjoy your delicious cookies!