You might have already guessed this but I love to bake for others. I just love how a freshly baked treat can put such a big smile on someone's face. So I am sure that you would not be surprised to hear that I baked for all of the kiddos' teachers for their end of year gift.
I went old-school and baked chocolate chip cookies and I have a couple of "tricks" that I thought I would share. First off I think that all cookies bake better if they have a couple of hours in the fridge to chill. (Warm or even room temperature cookie dough never turns out well for me.) I find that it works best for me if I make the dough the night before I plan to bake and deliver the cookies.
My next "trick" is my tools. I always use a traditional jelly-roll pan not a cookie sheet. My jelly-rolls are commercial-grade which means that they will not warp in my hot oven. I also always line my pans with parchment paper and I always use an old-school ice cream scoop to form my cookies. All three of these tools help ensure that my cookies all bake evenly and consistently.
The final step is packing up my sweet treats. When I am baking for many people I like to give the cookies in packages of six. Since they are relatively even in shape and size I find stacking them is the prettiest presentation. Simply stack, place in a cellophane bag and tie it closed!
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