TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE BAKING

• If using packaged cookie dough, follow the instructions carefully. Always start with very cold dough: you don’t want it to become too soft during rolling.
• Cover your work surface with ample flour. You will need to use more flour than with gingerbread cookies, since sugar cookie dough is stickier and softer. It also helps to coat your rolling pin with flour.
• If you mold the dough into a disk first, rolling it out will be easier. Roll the dough from the center out to edges. Try to roll in all directions until the dough reaches an even thickness.
• Be conscious of the dough’s thickness: the thinner you roll the dough, the shorter the baking time will be.
• If you need cookie cutters, flour them first before using. Start cutting out at the edge of the rolled dough and move toward the center. Cut out the cookie shapes as close together as possible to reduce scraps.
• When baking gingerbread cookies, it can be difficult to tell when they are done. When the edges of the cookies darken slightly and a finger pressed lightly into the cookie’s center does not leave an impression, you know they are fully baked.
• Be careful not to bake gingerbread cookies for too long: they will become crisper when they cool. To get chewier cookies, bake your gingerbread for a shorter time.
• Remember to allow adequate time for the icing to dry. Depending on its thickness and density, icing can take between 10 minutes and two hours to dry.

FUN DECORATING TIPS

• Icing: If you use food-coloring paste, start with smaller teaspoons first, then gradually add until you reach the desired color. Add too much color at once and you may end up with a darker shade than you intended.
• Stenciling: You can use everyday kitchen items to create unique designs. For example, a slotted spatula can make a good stencil.
• Drizzling: Hold the cookie over a bowl of melted chocolate and use a fork to drizzle chocolate. For straight lines, use a simple back-and-forth motion; for fancier designs, use a circular motion.
• Dipping: Remember to use parchment paper to set down your dipped cookies without creating a mess.
• Sandwich cookies: You could create your own sandwich cookies by spooning preserves onto one cookie and placing another cookie on top. You can be creative with the filling or arrangement of your sandwich cookies.

For more tips on baking and decorating, visit the RealSimple Web site.