Aluminum Baking Sheets

- Shiny aluminum baking sheets with only 1 or 2 sides work best. For best results, make sure your baking sheets fit your oven properly.

- Baking sheets that are too large or which are placed off-center in the oven cause heat to build-up underneath, producing cookies that get too dark or burn on the bottom.

- Choose baking sheets with at least a 1- or 2-inch clearance all the way around, and that do not touch the sides, front or back of the oven.

Avoiding Flat Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

- For best results, don't omit the nuts, but if you do, then add 1 to 2 T extra flour.

- Soften butter at room temperature just until it yields to light pressure. If softening butter in the microwave oven, microwave one stick of cold butter on defrost (30% power) for 10 to 15 seconds. Check, let stand. If not soft enough, rotate butter and microwave 5 to 10 seconds longer. Butter should soften just until it yields to light pressure.

- When using margarine, do not soften. Use directly from the refrigerator. Use a good grade of margarine; avoid tub and light margarines. Don't overbeat.

- Use ungreased baking sheets.

- Allow baking sheets to cool between each batch; baking sheets may be chilled briefly in refrigerator or freezer to hasten cooling between batches.

- Wipe baking sheets clean of grease between batches, or wash and dry baking sheet.

- Add 1 to 2 T extra flour on humid or rainy days, if desired.

- Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

- Use large eggs, not extra large.

- Have oven fully preheated at the correct temperature. Check the accuracy of your oven with a mercury oven thermometer. A few degrees can make the difference between a great cookie and an overbaked one.

Baking Cookies On Humid Days
To prevent cookies from spreading too much on warm or humid days, spoon cookie dough onto baking sheets, then chill for a few minutes before baking.

Baking Cookies in a Toaster Oven
Follow the manufacturer's directions. Remove baking tray from the toaster oven Preheat oven to 375º F for 5 to 10 minutes. Drop cookie dough — about 6 cookies at one time — onto the baking tray. Actual baking time will vary from toaster oven to toaster oven — from as little as 7 minutes and as long as 14 minutes. If cookies are too flat, increase temperature to 400º F If cookies become too dark on top, preheat oven longer or try reducing temperature by 25º F.

Baking Soda in Cookies
Omit entirely, or use half a teaspoon. Omitting or decreasing baking soda produces a puffier cookie with a crispy exterior that takes longer to bake and browns unevenly. Cookies are also not as flavorful as Original Nestlé® Toll House® Chocolate Chip Cookies. They may also stick slightly to your baking sheet.

Baking Powder in Cookies
May be substituted for baking soda. Use 1/2 to 1 tsp. baking powder. This will produce a cakier cookie that browns more on bottom and very little on top, with good texture, tenderness, puffiness and flavor. Baking time may also be 11 to 13 minutes, up from from 9 to 11 minutes in order to get proper browning.

Brown Granulated Sugar in Cookies
Can be substituted for white granulated sugar.

Brown Sugar in Cookies
Don’t substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar in Original Nestlé® Toll House® Chocolate Chip Cookie — it produces a moist, sticky dough and a very flat cookie with spread-wrinkles that lacks the recipe’s distinctive flavor.

Butter in Cookies

- Use softened butter at room temperature for easier mixing.

- Or, soften butter in the microwave on defrost (30% power) for 10 to 15 seconds. Check, then let stand. If necessary, microwave 5 to 10 seconds more, then let stand until ready to use. Butter should be softened just until it yields to light pressure.

- Melted butter, though it produces cookies that brown evenly, isn’t recommended as it produces a flatter cookie with a shiny surface and a slightly crackled appearance.

- Unsalted butter may be substituted for the same amount of salted butter in the Original Nestlé® Toll House® Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe —no other adjustments are necessary.

Cake Flour in Cookies
Can be used in the Original Nestlé® Toll House® Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Follow the recipe, but use 2 3/4 c unsifted cake flour. Cake flour will produce a cookie that is evenly browned with a crackled, shiny surface. The cookies will also be puffed and attractive with a good texture. Cake flour also makes a slightly crispier cookie.