Why bakery cookies look so perfect

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Secrets to why bakery cookies look so perfect

Imperfect homemade cookies have a charm to them and they produce many fond childhood memories. But many home bakers would naturally prefer their sweet treats to look as good as they taste. Surprisingly, this isn?t so hard to accomplish once you put your mind to it.

Have you ever wondered why bakery cookies look so perfect? In addition to years of full time experience, professionals also have the business to think about. They know that the better their product looks, the more they?ll sell so there?s always a strong current of motivation to help them focus at the decorating table and persevere when experiments don?t work out the first time.

If you love baking, don?t give up. Let the creative, clever new flavors of bakery treats inspire rather than discourage you. The cookie is a perfect canvas for crafty decorating, but looks just as tempting plain when baked to perfection. There pro tips will help you turn your favorite recipe into a tray of irresistible temptations worthy of a display case.

Consistency matters

If you?ve ever worked a bake sale you know that it?s not hard to sell one chocolate chip. However, if you want people to return and buy more, that first bite better taste great. And when customers do return, they expect to see that same perfectly round oatmeal raisin with just the right amount of chewiness.

Consistency matters. It?s not enough to have one good day in a professional kitchen ? every item you serve must be your best effort.

Competition

Speaking of best efforts, competition has a way of bringing it out. It?s a huge reason why bakery cookies look so perfect. They have to these days.

The fact that independent bakeries represent a growing number of small businesses is something all bakers have taken note of. Once another bakery opens nearby, there?s no room for bad batches. The talent of other pros lights a fire and seasoned bakers find themselves extra motivated to make their product stand out.

Special ingredients

Many professional bakers are friendly, generous people. It makes sense ? they bake delicious treats for a living. If there?s a special cookie at a local bakery that you constantly crave, don?t be afraid to voice that desperate question always on your mind. Ask to be let in on the secret.

The answer may vary from cook times, recipe proportions, baker’s kitchen basic tools or chilling the batter before baking, but often it?s as simple as a special ingredient you can get at the store. With baked goods, higher quality results in better tasting goods, especially when the recipe calls for chocolate.

For chocolate chip cookies that are slightly crispy on the outside and chewy inside, use a 4-ounce measuring ice cream-style scoop. The size will be pleasingly large and offer the right balance of textures. As with many types of dough, chill chocolate chip in the fridge for a day or two for a fuller taste.

Dry dough

Professionals experiment until they perfect each recipe. This means measuring with precision and knowing the exact consistency your dough needs to be. For instance to get puffy, less cakey results that and don?t spread too thin, make your dough drier than usual. Do this by skipping an egg or adding slightly more flour.

For decorating

The holidays will have you asking why bakery cookies look perfect like no other time of year. Tis the season for frosting and artistry! Want to know why your sugar cookies don?t measure up visually? Many professionals make shortbread instead of sugar because it?s firmer and comes out more defined.

Use gel food coloring to whip up your green and red frosting rather than duller liquid food colorings. Outline each design with narrow piping, then thin out the frosting with a touch of water and fill in the surface with color. The result will be neat and stunning with a few sprinkled details.