The Creaming Method for Cookies (2024)

This is post 5 of 8 in the series “Mixing Methods”

  1. Straight Dough Method for Yeast Bread
  2. The Creaming Method for Cake Making
  3. The Sponge Mixing Method for Bread Making
  4. Basic Muffin Recipe
  5. The Creaming Method for Cookies
  6. How to Make Biscuits, Biscuit Mixing Method
  7. Intro to Bread Making: The Basic Process

The creaming method for cookies is the most common mixing method for making chocolate chip cookies, and many other varietiesof cookies. This method gets its name due to the process of creaming butter and sugar together during the first step of the mixing process.

What is the Creaming Method for Cookies?

The creaming method is a mixing method used for making many different varieties of cookies. This method is similar to the creaming method for cakes, but does differ slightly due to cakes requiring more liquid in their batters than in cookie dough.

The creaming method gets its name from the first step of the mixing process where butter and sugar is creamed together. The process of creaming butter and sugar together helps to lighten and leaven your cookies. This process also increases the volume of your cookie dough which equals more cookies!

What Kinds of Cookies are Made Using the Creaming Method?

  • The Creaming Method for Cookies (2)
  • The Creaming Method for Cookies (3)
  • The Creaming Method for Cookies (4)

Many different kinds of cookies are made using the creaming method. Chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and most other drop cookies are made using this method. Shortbread cookies and sugar cookies are also styles of cookies that utilize the creaming method.

How Long Does Creaming Butter and Sugar Take?

The Creaming Method for Cookies (5)

The process of creaming butter and sugar together serves to force air to get caught in a web of fat and sugar. You aren’t just mixing the two together, you are aerating the ingredients.

I suggest mixing the butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes at a medium high speed to properly cream the two together. You will also want to scrape down the bowl at least once during this process to ensure all of the mixture is getting creamed together.

How to Make Cookies Using the Creaming Method

Prep: Allow Ingredients to Come to Room Temperature

The Creaming Method for Cookies (6)

In order to properly execute the creaming method for cookies, you want to make sure your butter and your eggs are at room temperature. Butter should be soft but not greasy looking or starting to melt. I suggest removing them from the refrigerator about 1 hour before making your cookies.

If you are in a hurry, you can cut your butter into very small pieces and spread it out on a plate to bring it to room temperature quickly. I do not suggest microwaving butter to bring it to room temperature, because if it starts to melt you will not be able to cream it properly. Uncracked eggs can be placed in a bowl of slightly warm water to bring them to room temperature.

Step 1: Cream Together Your Butter and Sugar

The Creaming Method for Cookies (7)

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for your cookie dough until they are light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes on a medium/high speed. Scrape down the bowl at least once about half way through the mixture.

Step 2: Add Eggs in 1 at a Time

The Creaming Method for Cookies (8)

After the butter and sugar is creamed together, it is time to add the eggs and vanilla extract. You want to add the eggs into your creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, and mix just until combined. This will ensure you won’t break your creamed mixture and you don’t want to beat any air into the eggs at this point.

Step 3: Add your Dry Ingredients & Mix as Little as Possible

The Creaming Method for Cookies (9)

The next step in making cookie dough using the creaming method is to mix in the dry ingredients. I prefer to add in my baking soda, baking powder, and salt first and mix those in completely before adding the flour. I find this helps with even distribution.

Once you add the flour into your dough, mix the dough as little as possible, just until the flour is absorbed. Over-mixing your cookie dough can develop the gluten too much and create tough cookies.

Step 4: Fold in Your Mix-Ins

The Creaming Method for Cookies (10)

The last step of the creaming method process for cookies is to fold in any mix-ins your cookie dough might have. You also want to be careful during this step to not over-mix the cookie dough.

Cookie Recipes that Utilize the Creaming Method

  • Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
  • Traditional Shortbread Cookies
  • Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
The Creaming Method for Cookies (2024)

FAQs

The Creaming Method for Cookies? ›

What is the creaming method exactly? It is commonly used in making chocolate chip cookies as well as several other cookies. It means to use a stand mixer or hand held mixer and cream the butter and sugars together for several minutes before adding the eggs and dry ingredients.

What are the 4 steps of the creaming method? ›

The 'creaming method,” also called the conventional method:
  1. Scales all ingredients accurately. ...
  2. cream butter or shortening slow until the fat is smooth and creamy.
  3. add the sugar. ...
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, cream until well absorbed. ...
  5. Scrape down the side of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

What is the creaming method of dough? ›

The creaming method is simply a name given to a technique for mixing some batters and doughs. Generally speaking, it involves creaming the butter and sugar together, followed by the addition of eggs. Next come the dry ingredients and any liquid ingredients.

How long should you cream butter and sugar for cookies? ›

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and continue beating. This process typically takes anywhere from 2-5 minutes.

What happens if you over cream, butter, and sugar? ›

Over-creamed butter and sugar

Because it's too aerated, it can result in dense, gummy streaks in your cake when baking.

How do you know when the butter and sugar is properly creamed? ›

Increase speed to medium-high and beat butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes, or until mixture is smooth, has lightened in color, and has significantly increased in volume. For best results, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula at least once or twice before the creaming process is complete.

What happens if you overmix the fat and sugar? ›

You may know what you get when you overmix cake batter: a dense cake with tough texture (and maybe some unappetizing gluey streaks as well).

What is the best temperature for creaming? ›

The temperature of your butter is critical when creaming butter and sugar. Too cold, and your sugar won't properly dissolve into your butter. Too hot, and your cakes will end up flat and greasy. The magical temperature of softened butter is actually around 65℉, slightly cooler than the ambient temperature of your home.

How long should I let my cookie dough chill? ›

Chilling it for half an hour, however, gives you thicker, chewier dough. Chilling for 2 hours, however, resulted in the best cookie—giving it a deep flavor, crispy edge and the optimal amount of spread.

What is the best mixing method for cookies? ›

The creaming method for cookies is the most common mixing method for making chocolate chip cookies, and many other varieties of cookies.

What are examples of creaming method cookies? ›

Examples of cookies that use the creaming method are chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. The Creaming Method is also sometimes called the Traditional Method. Another technique called the Reverse Creaming Method has become increasingly popular lately.

How to fix grainy creamed butter and sugar? ›

Usually it is grainy from the sugar not dissolving into the butter properly. One easy fix is to re-whip the frosting, preferably with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until it becomes smoother. (You can let it go for quite a bit!)

What happens if you don't cream butter and sugar cookies? ›

Undermixed butter and sugar looks gritty and chunky, which can lead to dense cookies and cakes. It is possible to overmix the butter and sugar. If you overmix, the butter will separate out of the mixture and it will be grainy and soupy. Be sure to stop once your butter becomes light and fluffy.

Does more butter make cookies softer? ›

Also, underbaking them by a minute or 2 will help them retain a dense, chewy bite, explains Jenny McCoy, pastry baking arts chef-instructor at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York. Adding more moisture to your dough in the form of extra butter, egg yolks, or brown sugar will make your cookies even softer.

What happens when you add too much butter to sugar cookies? ›

An excessive amount of butter makes it where the flour is unable to absorb the combined fat, which causes the cookie to spread too widely and the sugar to carbonize more easily because it's surrounded by too buttery a dough.

What are the steps in the creaming method quizlet? ›

  1. Preheat oven and prepare the pans. ...
  2. Sift the dry ingredients together.
  3. Combine the softened fat and sugar in a mixer bowl. ...
  4. Add eggs gradually, slowly beating well after each addition.
  5. Add the dry and liquid ingredients to the creamed fat alternately. ...
  6. The batter is now ready for make-up and baking.

What are the four methods of mixing cake batters? ›

Mixing Methods
  • Foaming method. The main point of this method is to whisk eggs with sugar very well, to beat in as much air as possible. ...
  • Creaming method. This method begins by beating soft butter with sugar. ...
  • Reverse creaming method. ...
  • No-beating method.
Feb 3, 2022

What is the correct order for adding ingredients in the creaming method? ›

Cakes 101: The Creaming Method
  • Cream fat and sugar together (hence the name of this method) Creaming the fat (usually butter) and the sugar creates air pockets that lighten your cake. ...
  • Beat in the eggs and flavouring a little at a time. ...
  • Add dry ingredients and liquids, alternating.
Aug 3, 2017

What is the process of creaming in chemistry? ›

Creaming, in the laboratory sense, is the migration of the dispersed phase of an emulsion under the influence of buoyancy. The particles float upwards or sink depending on how large they are and density compared to the continuous phase as well as how viscous or how thixotropic the continuous phase might be.

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