Helping cookies keep their shape . . . Works For Me Wednesdays

Welcome to a new (to Bake at 350) blog feature...Works For Me Wednesday. Here's a synopsis of what it's all about..."Basically, the idea is that on Wednesday you post a little tip you've learned on any (G-rated) topic--anything that has "worked for you" in making your life easier. "Before my tip, let me tell you how I found out about WFMW...

Around Christmastime, we moved to a new house. I met our neighbors, but hadn't really had a chance to get to know them. The day before Valentine's Day, their son was over at our house playing and I was finishing up making the Homemade Hostess Cupcakes.

I had them all laid out on the table, taking pictures from every angle, when out their son walks into the kitchen. All I could think was, "oh great...he's going to go home and tell his parents that the crazy lady next door takes pictures of FOOD!" But, do you know what he said? "Do you have a blog?" :)

It turns out, his mom, my neighbor, has an amazing blog, a real blog!!! It's called We are THAT Family. Have you seen it? Go now, seriously! (It's really good, so please come back eventually!)

I am so excited to have a friend next door (that's only happened to me once, and it was like heaven on earth), and a bloggy friend at that! You can check out her more colorful account of meeting a "blogger next door" here.

We Are THAT Family is now the host of Works for Me Wednesdays...I can't wait to read through all of the great ideas posted there!

Without further ado...

To help cookies keep their shape, freeze them! I freeze each batch of cut-out cookies for 5 to 10 minutes before baking. They rise just slightly higher and keep their shape better. This really helps when using an intricate cookie cutter, but I do this even when baking circles.

If I'm baking a large batch of cookies, I normally have one sheet in the oven, one in the freezer, one on the counter for loading and one cooling and I just rotate through them.

Hope that helps! :) Is there anything you are wondering about cookie making? Post a comment and I'll try to add it to future WFMW.