Seven Steps to Flawless Rolled Cookies with Julia M. Usher

Ready to express your inner cookie artist? Well then, you're in the right place! Welcome to Lesson 2 of Julia M. Usher's Ultimate Cookie Decorating Series!

NOTE: This video is one of 16 videos originally filmed for my DVD series, which was discontinued in November 2014. Select videos from the series will be released to YouTube over time, but my app will remain the only place where you can find all of the original DVD videos. To learn more about my app, click here: http://www.papertrell.com/apps/Julia_Ushers_Ultimate_Cookies

A decorated cookie is only as lovely as its underlying cookie "canvas"! In this video, I reveal my seven steps to flawless rolled cookies, including how to cut to minimize distortion and bake for even browning. And what's even better?! None of these steps requires any fancy tools, such as dough boards or rolling pin guides. With the right dough*, a rolling pin, and a heavy-gauge sheet pan, you can consistently get picture-perfect cutout cookies.

*ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE "RIGHT DOUGH" AND MORE!

1. SPREADING OF DOUGH: While this video covers handling and rolling techniques only, it's always important to start with a good dough. Some doughs are definitely more prone to spreading and misshaping than others. Generally speaking, a dough with a relatively high proportion of flour to fat and/or a relatively low proportion of leavening to other ingredients is going to spread and misshape less. The type of fat used in the recipe can also affect your results. While some bakers shun vegetable shortening, it has a higher melting point than butter, which means that if all other ingredients in a recipe stay the same, the substitution of some shortening for butter will result in a dough that spreads less (it will also have a crisper/crunchier texture once baked). Lastly, I tend to cream my fat and sugar minimally (just a minute or so), as excessive creaming can lead to more cresting/doming of the dough when it bakes. All of the rolled cookie recipes in my books (see links to those products, below) have been tested (and re-tested) to ensure a nice balance of flavor, texture, and minimal spreading, so please check them out!

2. BAKING COOKIES: As you may notice in the video, I always bake on the back side of my cookie sheet. I do this because I use cookie sheets with walls (for durability and more even heat conduction), and I find I get more evenly baked cookies when I bake this way. (When cookies are placed on the "right" side of the pan, those nearest the metal walls tend to bake and brown more quickly than those in the interior.) It's also easier to remove cookies from the back side in one fell swoop by sliding them on their parchment paper liner or silicone mat directly onto cooling racks.

3. STORING COOKIES: Every recipe has different staling properties, but I like to eat my rolled cookies within a week of baking for maximum flavor and freshness. Once the icing is completely dry, store in airtight containers at room temperature to preserve cookie crunchiness and flavor.

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RELATED LINKS:
Gingerbread recipe: https://www.juliausher.com/blog/more/cutout_cookie_gingerbread
For my other rolled cookie recipes, check out my books and app: https://www.juliausher.com/store

CREDITS:
Video by: Joe Baran, http://www.workingmansfilm.com/

AGAIN, TO PURCHASE MY BOOKS OR APP:
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Видео Seven Steps to Flawless Rolled Cookies with Julia M. Usher канала JuliaMUsher