Baking Basics

Maybe you’re gearing up for a New Year’s resolution that includes more time in the kitchen. Maybe you’re excited to make Christmas cookies and cakes that will be remembered for years to come. Either way, you must walk before you run. With that in mind, here are a few baking basics to get you started:

Always prep your ingredients.

Preparing your ingredients before you start baking will save you so much time and also make you feel like a professional! Use bowls and ramekins to measure everything out ahead of time. That way, you’re not rushed!

Measure correctly.

Baking is a science. Make sure you’re using the correct measuring device for dry and liquid ingredients and always make sure to level dry ingredients, like flour or sugar, off at the top, or else you’ll be in trouble very quickly!

Make sure your butter is at the right temperature.

Prep your butter by making sure it’s at the correct temperature. If the recipe calls for softened butter, for instance, it should be resting at room temperature. If the recipe calls for chilled, make sure to store it in the refrigerator. 

Follow the recipe.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but if you get busy and haven’t given your recipe a thorough glance-over before getting started, a few things may slip through the cracks. Make sure you have everything prepared so that you can follow the recipe to a T. Unlike cooking, baking won’t just work out if you don’t follow directions.

To make things *extra* easy, we’ve collected these great beginner holiday recipes from Country Living, Food Network, Rachael Ray and Delish.

Happy baking! If you have extra cookies, don’t hesitate to bring us some!