Kitchen Serf

Halloween Eyeball Donuts

Jennifer Osborn — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 22:17:11 +0000

You're going to love how easy these Halloween Eyeball Donuts are to whip together for classroom parties, Halloween buffets or any last minute celebration.

Or when your kid tells you on Halloween morning that they need to take a treat to school.

Store-bought mini chocolate donuts, chocolate frosting, candy eyeballs and 10 minutes are all you need for this spookily fun treat.

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Recipe Highlights

Ready in ten minutes
Made with grocery store ingredients
Everything you need can be found at a grocery store
No baking or decorating skills needed
Large candy eyes give maximum impact

Before You Start

Keep the donuts cool or at room temperature. If they get warm, the chocolate coating can soften and get messy while you're decorating them.

You'll need a ¼ cup or less of chocolate frosting unless you're making a large party batch. A pouch of squeezable chocolate frosting is an easy shortcut and saves you from filling a piping bag.

You can find pouches of frosting with a decorating tip attached in the baking aisle at the grocery store.

Use large candy eyeballs, about the size of grapes ideally. The small candy eyeballs just don't create the same spooky effect.

Ingredients

Store bought mini chocolate donuts
Chocolate frosting (store bought or homemade chocolate frosting)
Candy eyeballs

How to Make Halloween Eyeball Donuts

This is complicated so pay attention.

Pull your miniature chocolate donuts out of the bag or box and arrange them on a plate or platter.

Then put chocolate frosting into a piping bag or a bowl.

Pipe or spoon ¼ to a ½ teaspoon of chocolate frosting in the center of each donut. The frosting acts as "glue" for the candy eyeballs.

Unwrap your candy eyeballs and place one on each mini chocolate donut where you've placed the frosting.

Storage and Make Ahead Instruction

These are best assembled the day you plan to serve them.

Keep them covered at cool room temperature for several hours or refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm.

More Fun Halloween Treats

Keep the Halloween shortcut magic going with these easy treats:

A quick ten-minute Halloween cookie using Nutter Butters.

Bloody Syringe Jello Shots

White Chocolate Ghosts (Quick and Easy)

Recipe

Yield: 12

Halloween Eyeball Donuts

No Ratings

Easy Halloween eyeball donuts come together in just 10 minutes using store-bought mini chocolate donuts, chocolate frosting and candy eyeballs. They're the perfect no-bake treat for Halloween parties, school events or movie night.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

12 Miniature Chocolate Donuts (Hostess)
12 Icing Decoration Eyes
¼ cup or less Chocolate Frosting (this is approximate, you'll use ¼ to ½ teaspoon dab of frosting on each donut)

Instructions

Line up the donuts, in one layer, on a plate or other flat dish.
Apply a small dollop of chocolate frosting in the small dip, in the middle of the donuts. Not too much (like ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon each donut), but this part doesn’t have to be exact. You can use a frosting bag and small frosting tip to make this step quick, easy, and less messy.
Place the sugar eyeballs in the middle of the donuts, eye side up. Lightly press into the frosting, and enjoy.

Notes

You need less than two tablespoons of chocolate frosting for this recipe so I recommend grabbing a squeezable container of chocolate frosting at the store.

Do not store this store. Best if eaten immediately.

You can use any large candy or sugar eyes, especially if you have a lot to make, and need to buy in bulk.

The tiny candy eyes don’t look the greatest and are too small to really make the treat "pop."

Keeping the donuts in a cool, dry area before using to make it easier to handle them while applying the eyes. Otherwise, they may melt and be hard to handle without making a mess.

Recommended Products

This post and/or recipe may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure policy.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 120Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 3gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 45mgSodium 261mgCarbohydrates 75gFiber 2gSugar 52gProtein 4g

Nutrition information is an estimate because I am not a registered dietician.

The post Halloween Eyeball Donuts appeared first on Kitchen Serf.

Half Batch Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies

Jennifer Osborn — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:37:00 +0000

Lemon lovers unite. These thick lemon sugar cookies stay soft for days. Fresh lemon zest perfumes the entire dough, which by the way does not need to be chilled before baking.

Rolling the dough in sanding sugar before baking creates a crisp, sparkly exterior.

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What to Know Before You Start

This recipe makes a half batch, a dozen cookies total. These are regular size cookies about 2.5 inches wide.
I've included ingredient amounts below for a regular batch of 24 cookies. The instructions are the same.
Fresh lemon zest is what gives these cookies their bright lemon flavor. No juice is used.
To help incorporate that flavor evenly through the cookie dough, you'll add the zest to the butter and beat it for a minute so the lemon is thoroughly combined.
Most of the lemon flavor comes from the peel, which has natural oils.
You'll need a rasp style grater to properly remove the zest.
Start with cool butter to help the cookies bake up thick instead of spreading.
And make sure your baking powder is fresh. Here's a quick baking powder freshness test.

9 Tips for Baking Soft Cookies

Adding fresh lemon zest to the butter incorporates the flavor throughout the batch of dough.

Watch How to Zest a Lemon

Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt (best salt for cookie dough)
Butter
Granulated sugar
Half of a large egg
One medium or large lemon for the zest
Sanding sugar (for finishing)

See recipe card for ingredient amounts

Don't Skip This: This recipe really does work best with half of a beaten egg. It only takes an extra minute and using a whole egg means the cookies won't bake up with quite the same texture.

How to Make Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies

These are a basic drop cookie, meaning you mix up the dough and "drop" it onto the cookie sheet by the spoon or cookie scoop.

Use a rasp style grater, like a Microplane, to remove zest or the yellow colored part, of the lemon. Do this over wax paper or plastic wrap and set aside.

Beat butter for two minutes, add lemon zest and then granulated sugar and half an egg. Continue beating until lighter and fluffier.

Mix in flour, baking powder and salt until combined.

Scoop into balls using a #30 or #40 cookie scoop (1.6 tablespoons).

Roll in sanding sugar.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350F° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cube butter for easier beating.

Use a half egg for these half batch cookies.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt with butter, lemon, sugar mix.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

Store covered at room temperature for three to five days.

Freeze either baked cookies or balls of cookie dough, wrapped in plastic or freezer paper, then tucked inside a freezer safe container for up to three months.

Half Batch	Full Batch
1 cup all-purpose flour	2 cups
¾ teaspoon baking powder	1½ teaspoons
¼ teaspoon salt	½ teaspoon
½ cup butter	1 cup
½ cup granulated sugar	1 cup
½ large egg	1 large egg
Zest of 1 medium or large lemon	Zest of 2 lemons
Sanding sugar 2 tablespoons	Sanding sugar ¼ cup

Bake as directed in the recipe card below.

More Lemon Recipes

Meyer Lemon Cake is an easy, every day cake also infused with zest.

Discover more lemon desserts in my Lemon category.

You might also like Panera Copycat Lemon Cookies.

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are another reader favorite as are Half Batch Cake Mix Cookies.

Recipe

Yield: 12

Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies

No Ratings

Soft and chewy lemon sugar cookies made with fresh lemon zest for bright citrus flavor and roled in sanding sugar for crackly, sparkling tops.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 Cup All-purpose flour
* ¾ teaspoon baking powder
* ¼ teaspoon salt (best salt for cookie dough)
* ¼ cup butter
* ½ cup granulated sugar
* ½ large egg
* One medium or large lemon for the zest (two teaspoons)
* Sanding sugar (for finishing)

Instructions

Beat butter for two minutes, add lemon zest and then granulated sugar. Continue beating until lighter and fluffier.
Add ½ an egg and beat one minute or until no yellow spots of egg can be seen.
Mix in flour, baking powder and salt until combined.
Scoop into balls using a #30 or #40 cookie scoop (1.6 tablespoons).
Roll in sanding sugar.
Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350F° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Texture

Jennifer Osborn — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 22:14:54 +0000

The way chocolate chip cookie dough feels or holds together is probably the biggest predictor of whether your cookies are going to be a smash hit or a dismal failure that not even your dog will eat.

The best way to judge your cookie dough texture is to notice how it looks, how it clings (or doesn't) to your beaters or stand mixer paddle and whether it scoops into a rounded ball that holds its shape.

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If you've made the dough correctly, it should feel:

Soft but not runny
Moist but not wet
Easy to scoop into a rounded ball
Holds its shape when scooped
May leave a light residue on your fingers
Doesn't crumble into little pieces

Unlike sugar cookie dough, which is firmer and leaves your fingers mostly clean, chocolate chip cookie dough may leave a light butter residue on your fingertips. That's normal.

Chocolate chip cookie dough should release easily from your fingers instead of leaving a layer of dough behind.

Signs Your Dough Is Too Dry

Crumbles when squeezed
Won't hold together
Dry flour in the bottom of your mixing bowl or white streaks in dough

Too much flour
Your butter wasn't soft enough
You left out the egg

Signs Your Dough Is Too Wet

Can't scoop into a rounded ball of dough
Sticks heavily to your hands
Looks glossy, greasy or gloppy

Common Causes of Wet Dough

Butter too warm or melted
Not enough flour
Kitchen is too warm
Too many eggs or eggs larger than recipe called for

Why Are My Cookies Flat?

What's Room Temperature Butter?

Best Salt for Baking Cookies

Does Egg Size Matter in Baking?

Cookie Scoop Size Chart

The post Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Texture appeared first on Kitchen Serf.

Half Batch Cake Mix Cookies

Jennifer Osborn — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 20:11:23 +0000

I'm just going to say it, sometimes you don't need a full batch of homemade cookies.

There it's out.

Maybe your household has shrunk or you want to test a few new flavors? Or perhaps you have a pantry full of odds and ends you want to use up.

That's where half batch or small batch cake mix cookies saves the day.

My cake mix cookie recipe is easily halved so you don't have so much temptation lingering around.

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Why This is a Great Recipe

Simple and quick
Mix by hand using a spatula
So many flavors of cake mix = so many diverse cookies
Easy to customize with chocolate or peanut butter chips, nuts, sprinkles, etc.

Ingredients

Ignore the ingredient list on the back of the cake mix box. You're not making cake, you're making cookies.

Half box of cake mix (6.6 ounces or ¾ cup)
Today's cake mix boxes are smaller than they used to be. If you're using a 13.25 ounce box, add ¼ cup flour for the best texture.
1 large egg
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter or canola or vegetable oil.

How to Measure a Half Box of Cake Mix

You can measure a half box either by weight or by volume. Weight is going to be the most accurate but for that you'll need a digital scale.

This is my favorite kitchen scale. I've been using this brand for years. It's lightweight, simple to use and stores easily in a drawer.

Look at the net weight printed on the front of the cake mix box and divide by two. So the 13.25 ounce box of cake mix I used for this recipe equals 6.625 ounces.

That's also equivalent to ¾ of a cup, if you prefer measuring by volume using measuring cups.

Tips for Making the Best Cake Mix Cookies

Measure accurately.
Don't over mix.
Chill sticky dough if needed.
Bake just until the edges are set.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Can I Save the Other Half of the Cake Mix?

Store leftover cake mix in an airtight container or resealable bag.

Label what it is and the date you used it with permanent marker.

Store in a cool, dry place.

Try to use within two to three months for the best flavor.

Flavor Ideas

You can use any flavor of boxed cake mix for cookies.

Looking for more ideas, see my master Cake Mix Cookie Recipe post or browse my Cake Mix Recipe Category.

Recipe

Yield: 12

Half Batch Cake Mix Cookies

No Ratings

Craving cake mix cookies but don't want a full batch? This easy half batch recipe uses half a box of cake mix to make about a dozen soft, chewy cookies. It's perfect for small households, testing new flavors or satisfying a cookie craving without lots of leftovers.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes

Ingredients

Half box of cake mix (13.25 ounces/2= ¾ of a cup, if using a 13.25 ounce box, you'll need to add ¼ cup of flour.
1 large egg
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter or canola or vegetable oil.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F°
Measure half the cake mix and pour into a mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients (oil or butter and egg).
Mix until combined.
Portion the dough into balls, approximately 1.6 tablespoons each. I like a Winco #40 cookie scoop for this task.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes on a parchment or silicone lined cookie sheet.

Notes

If using a 13.25 ounce box, you'll need to add ¼ cup of flour.

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

Jennifer Osborn — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 01:28:08 +0000

If you've ever made lemon cake mix cookies that tasted more sweet than citrusy, fresh lemon zest is the fix. Rubbing the zest into the dry cake mix releases its fragrant oils, giving these cookies a bold, lemon flavor you just can't get from the cake mix alone.

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Why You'll Love These Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

You'll love these lemon cake mix cookies because they're soft, chewy, and packed with bright lemon flavor.

Starting with a boxed cake mix means they're quick to make, while fresh lemon zest and a simple glaze make them taste amazing.

Bonus: no electric mixer needed, stir dough with spatula.

Love baking with cake mix? Don't miss my collection of cake mix cookie recipes.

Do you love lemon, you must try my recipe for Half Batch Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies.

Ingredients You'll Need

Ignore the ingredient list on the back of the box.

1 box lemon cake mix (15.25 ounces preferably)
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup vegetable or canola oil, or melted butter
Zest of one medium lemon (about one heaping teaspoon)

Make the Lemon Glaze

Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and a ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon zest in a bowl and stir until combined.

How to Make These Cookies

Combine the ingredients, mix in fresh lemon zest, and scoop the dough onto a baking sheet.

Bake until the edges are set, then let the cookies cool before topping them with a simple homemade lemon glaze.

Tips for Success

Use fresh lemon zest.
Fresh zest gives these cookies a much brighter, fresher lemon flavor than the cake mix alone.

Use a rasp-style grater.
A Microplane or similar grater removes just the flavorful yellow zest while leaving the bitter white pith behind.

Don't overbake.
The cookies are done when the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. They'll continue to firm up as they cool.

Let the cookies cool before glazing.
If the cookies are still warm, the glaze will melt instead of setting into a pretty finish.

If using a smaller cake mix, add a little flour.
Many cake mixes are now smaller than 15.25 ounces. If yours is, add about ¼ cup of flour so the dough is the right consistency.

How to Store and Freeze

Store baked cookies at room temperature in a sealed container. Separate layers of cookies by lining container with wax paper.

Double wrap cookies with freezer paper or put them in resealable bags and putting into a sturdy container so they don't break. Store for up to two months in the freezer.

Note: unlike most all other cookie doughs, cake mix cookie dough does not freeze well. I recommend only freezing already baked cake mix cookies.

Looking for more easy desserts? Browse all of my Cake Mix Recipes for chocolate, strawberry, butter cake, brownie mix and more.

How to Freeze Cookie Dough.

Recipe

Yield: 24

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

No Ratings

Soft, chewy lemon cake mix cookies get bright, real lemon flavor from fresh lemon zest. This easy recipe comes together with just a few ingredients and bakes in minutes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

1 box lemon cake mix (15.25 ounces preferably)
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup vegetable or canola oil, or melted butter
Zest of one medium lemon (about one heaping teaspoon)

Instructions

Zest lemon onto a piece of wax paper or parchment.
Pour cake mix into a mixing bowl.
Rub lemon zest into the cake mix with your fingers to release the lemon oils. Stir with a spatula until no clumps remain.
Add the eggs.
Stir in oil.
Mix until a thick, soft dough forms.
Use a #40 cookie scoop (about 1.6 tablespoons) to scoop the dough into balls.
Bake 12 at a time at 350F° for 10 to 12 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet. The edges should be set but the centers may look slightly soft. Don't over bake. The cookies will continue to set up as they cool.

Notes

Use a Microplane or other fine rasp grater to remove only the yellow part of the peel avoiding the bitter white pith. (I use and love the Microplane brand).

What To Use Instead of a Cookie Scoop

Jennifer Osborn — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:13:15 +0000

Don't have a cookie scoop or just don't feel like using one? This easy trick lets you portion cookie dough into even pieces using a zip-top bag and a bench scraper or knife. It's quick, neat, and perfect for sticky dough.

Maybe you don't own a cookie scoop. Maybe you just don't feel like scooping 48 cookies tonight.

Or maybe repetitive scooping is uncomfortable because of tendonitis, arthritis or because your hands are tired.

Or maybe the thought of touching sticky cookie dough makes you cringe. Whatever the reason, the bench scraper gets the job done.

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Before You Start

Press the dough to an even thickness in the bag. I aim for about an inch thick.
Chill the dough for at least an hour so it slices cleanly.
A bench scraper is fastest but a knife works just fine. This is one of my favorite scrapers because it has measurement markings.
If using a bench scraper, you may need to press down with both hands, depending on how chilled your cookie dough is.
Once ready to bake, place the squares on a cookie sheet evenly spaced, just as you would scoops of cookie dough.

If you decide adding a cookie scoop to your baking arsenal is a good idea, here's how to choose the right size cookie scoop.

Prepare your cookie dough according to the recipe.
Transfer the dough to a large zip-top bag.
Press the dough into an even rectangle about 1 inch thick.
Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour or until firm.
Cut open the bag and peel the plastic away from the dough.
Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-inch strips.
Turn the dough and cut across the strips to make 1-inch squares.
Separate the pieces and arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake according to the recipe instructions. Most drop cookie dough can be baked at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Tips for Success

Chilling the dough first makes clean, even cuts much easier.
Try to press the dough to an even thickness before chilling so the cookies bake uniformly.
A bench scraper makes quick work of the cuts but a chef's knife works just as well.
If the dough softens while you're cutting it, pop it back into the fridge or freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will square pieces of dough bake into square cookies?

No, as the butter melts, most cookie dough spreads into round cookies in the oven. Have you ever bought Nestle Toll House refrigerated dough? It comes in little squares as shown below. But the dough still bakes into round cookies.

Is this method as accurate as a cookie scoop?

As long as your pieces are roughly the same size, they'll bake evenly.

Can I freeze the dough like this?

Of course, cut the chilled dough into squares, freeze them until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake from frozen or thaw according to your recipe. See more information about freezing cookie dough.

Find out why your cookies are always flat.

Are your cookies too puffy?

What should cake mix cookie dough feel like?

How to make cookies that stay soft: 9 Tips.

The post What To Use Instead of a Cookie Scoop appeared first on Kitchen Serf.

Cake Mix Cookies

Jennifer Osborn — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 14:30:23 +0000

Cake mix cookies are one of the easiest treats you can make, especially if you need dessert in a hurry.

With just a few simple ingredients, a boxed cake mix turns into soft, chewy cookies in almost any flavor you can imagine.

Whether you're using chocolate, lemon, strawberry, Funfetti or another favorite, this easy recipe gives you delicious cookies with minimal effort and plenty of opportunity to customize them with sprinkles, chocolate chips and other mix-ins.

You can make so many cookies with cake mix.

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Watch Quick Video of Cake Mix Cookies

Recipe Highlights

Only a few ingredients
Soft, chewy cookies
Endless flavor options
Great for beginners
Easy to customize with mix-ins
Mix by hand with a spatula (no electric mixer needed)

Before You Start

Different cake mix brands vary slightly in size. If you grabbed a 13.25-ounce or lighter mix, you may need to add a quarter cup of all-purpose flour.
Dough should be thick, soft and scoopable, similar to Play-Doh.
If dough seems too sticky, cover your bowl and chill it for 30 to 60 minutes.
Don't over bake. Cookies continue baking as they cool.

What You'll Need for 3-Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies

Ignore the ingredients listed on the back of the cake mix box. That will get you cake. You're making cookies. See below.

1 box cake mix (ideally 15.25 ounces)
½ cup neutral flavored oil like canola or vegetable
2 eggs, large

How to Make Cookies from Cake Mix

Pour cake mix and canola oil in a large mixing bowl. Break each egg into a small bowl one at a time and add to the bowl.

Never break eggs directly in your mixing bowl. That way if the egg has gone bad, you haven't wasted a bowl full of ingredients.

Stir, breaking up the eggs, until a soft dough forms and no streaks of cake mix remain.

Portion dough into balls, about 1.6 tablespoons in size. Use a #40 or #30 cookie scoop for even baking and appearance.

Bake 12 cookies at a time on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350F° for 10-12 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so pay attention to how the cookies smell. Start checking at 10 minutes.

Let rest for a minute or two on the baking sheet.

Use a thin, metal spatula to move cookies to a wire rack.

The dough should be thick and easy to scoop. You should be able to move it out of the bowl in one or two scoops. It will be softer than traditional cookie dough but shouldn't be runny.

If your dough feels too sticky to handle, chilling it for 30 minutes usually helps.

However, if you grabbed a box of cake mix containing a smaller amount of mix, say 13.25 ounces instead of 15.25, you may need to add a quarter cup of all purpose flour to reach the right texture.

Watch this quick video to see the texture you're aiming for:

Store cake mix cookies in a resealable container with wax papers between the layers.

Store cake mix cookies in a resealable container with wax paper for up to a week on your countertop at room temperature.

Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag placed inside a sturdy container to prevent broken cookies.

Can I use any flavor of cake mix?

Yes, really any flavor being sold in a grocery store will work fine: look for chocolate, yellow, white, lemon, strawberry, Funfetti, spice cake, red velvet. I think there's even a key lime flavor now.

Does cake mix cookie dough need to be chilled?

Chill the dough if it feels really sticky or is difficult to scoop. If you grabbed a box of cake mix containing a smaller amount, say 13.25 ounces instead of 15.25, you may need to add a quarter cup of all purpose flour.

Can I freeze cake mix cookie dough?

You can freeze the dough itself but it's better to freeze the already baked cookies. When cake mix cookie dough is frozen, the oil tends to separate from the dough, affecting the texture.

What size cake mix works best?

Cake mixes that weigh 15.25 ounces work best but you can adapt smaller size cake mixes by adding all purpose flour.

More Cake Mix Recipes

Chocolate Cherry Ganache Cookies

Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

Gooey Butter Cake with Cake Mix

Gooey Butter Cake Cookies

Recipe

Yield: 24

Cake Mix Cookies

No Ratings

Easy cake mix cookies start with a box of cake mix and just a few simple ingredients. Soft, chewy and endlessly customizable, they're a quick shortcut cookie recipe that's perfect for birthdays, bake sales, holidays or whenever you need cookies in a hurry.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

1 box cake mix (15.25 ounces best)
2 eggs, large
½ cup neutral flavored oil like canola

Instructions

Pour cake mix into a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs
Add oil
Stir until a soft dough is formed.
Portion into balls about 1.6 tablespoons in size (a #40 cookie scoop)
Bake at 350F° for 10-12 minutes.
Let rest on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes after removing from oven.
Move cookies from sheet to a wire rack to cool using a thin, metal spatula.
Serve or wrap in layers of wax paper and tuck into a container for storage at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and tuck into a freezer-safe bag or container to store for up to three months.

Notes

If dough is sticky, chill, covered, for 30 to 60 minutes.

9 Tips for Baking Soft Cookies

Jennifer Osborn — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:28:12 +0000

Soft, chewy cookies don't happen by accident. Everything from the type of sugar you use to how long you bake the cookies can affect their texture.

If you're trying to bake softer cookies, nine simple tips can help you achieve a tender, chewy texture that stays soft longer.

If you want chocolate chip cookies that stay soft, use this recipe.

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Use More Brown Sugar Than White Sugar

Brown sugar contains molasses, which helps cookies stay moist.

That's one reason chocolate chip cookie recipes made with a higher ratio of brown sugar often have a softer, chewier texture.

I often will make swap out granulated sugar for brown sugar in a cookie recipe.

Using more brown sugar than white or granulated sugar will help keep your cookies soft.

Measure Flour Carefully

Packing flour into measuring cups can totally change a cookie recipe. Even a few extra tablespoons can make cookies dry, thick, and hard instead of soft and chewy.

spoon and level flour into your measuring cup
don’t scoop directly from the bag
use a kitchen scale if you want to be precise

If your dough already feels crumbly before baking, you may also be dealing with dry cookie dough.

Don’t Overmix the Dough

Once you add the flour, mix only until the dry ingredients disappear.

A few streaks of flour are fine. Finish mixing with a spatula if needed.

Overmixing develops gluten, which can make cookies tougher and less tender.

Try a Blend of All-Purpose Flour and Cake Flour

Cake flour contains less protein than all-purpose flour, which can help create a softer, more tender cookie.

For some cookie recipes, replacing a portion of the all-purpose flour with cake flour can improve texture without changing the flavor.

However, using only cake flour isn't always the best choice.

Cookies made entirely with cake flour can be more fragile and prone to breaking.

A blend of the two flours often provides the best balance of softness and structure.

Try using equal amounts of all purpose flour and cake flour in your next batch of cookie dough for extra softness.

Add One Extra Egg Yolk

Yolks add fat and moisture. But don't add more than one yolk over the amount of eggs the recipe specifies. That will just borrow trouble.

Slightly Under Bake the Cookies

Soft chocolate chip cookies will be your new go-to recipe.

Cookies continue baking on the cookie sheet after they come out.

Soft cookies often look slightly underdone in the center when they’re ready to come out of the oven.

Get in the habit of pulling cookies out of the oven two to three minutes ahead of time. They'll continue to bake a bit after being removed from the heat.

For softer cookies, don't leave them on the baking sheet any longer than necessary. The hot pan continues baking the cookies even after they're out of the oven.

Many bakeries transfer cookies to cooling racks almost immediately to stop the baking process and preserve a softer texture.

If you want the softest possible cookies:

remove them from the oven when the centers still look slightly underdone
allow them to set for 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheet
transfer them to a wire rack to cool

If your cookies are spreading thin and turning crisp, here are the most common reasons cookies go flat.

With that in mind, pay attention to your equipment.

Your Baking Sheet Matters

Lightweight dark pans:

cook cookies faster
crisp bottoms faster

Sturdy light-colored aluminum pans:

more even baking
softer cookies

Nordicware makes my favorite cookie sheets, which are technically half sheet pans. They are sturdy but no so heavy to be a struggle if you're dealing with arthritis

A cookie scoop also helps cookies bake evenly so smaller cookies don’t overbake before larger ones are done.

Nordicware is a good solid choice to bake on. I also like USA baking pans.

Ensure Your Oven Temperature is Accurate

An inexpensive oven thermometer can solve a lot of issues. Do you know if your oven really bakes things at 350F° or is it secretly heating up to 363F°?

This is a good oven thermometer by Taylor, which is a reliable brand for temperature gauges.

You can use this thermometer in gas or electric ovens, and it includes a hook for hanging or you can stand it up.

BONUS TIP FOR SOFT COOKIES

Add a package of dry vanilla pudding mix into the dough. See Chocolate Chip cookies with pudding.

A box of instant dry pudding mix will ensure soft, chewy cookies for days.

Flat cookies plaguing you? 7 Ways to Prevent Flat Cookies.

Are your cookies too puffy?

What should cake mix cookie dough feel like?

What should my cut-out cookie dough feel like?

The post 9 Tips for Baking Soft Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Serf.

Pillsbury Apple Pie Cookie Dough Review

Jennifer Osborn — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 22:29:59 +0000

My main question: where's the cinnamon?

The Pillsbury Doughboy appears on the front of the package holding an apple pie. Unfortunately, the flavor didn't quite deliver on that visual promise.

I found very little apple flavor and no cinnamon flavor at all. In fact no spices save a bit of paprika for coloring. After checking the ingredient list, I discovered cinnamon isn't included.

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What Is In The Dough?

The packaging lists dried apples and whole grain oats along with the usual cookie ingredients.

The package promises 12 large cookies and, like several recent Pillsbury cookie dough products, the dough is made with heat-treated flour so it’s safe to eat raw.

Apple pie flavors can be tricky in cookie form. Apples add moisture, and it’s hard to capture the flavor of a slice of pie in a simple drop cookie.

In fairness to Pillsbury, they’re calling this Apple Pie Cookie Dough rather than Apple Pie Cookies.

Still, the packaging sets some expectations.

How They Baked

The cookies spread into soft, puffy cookies with visible oat pieces throughout. They looked fine although a bit bland coming out of the oven and baked exactly as expected.

They needed 15 minutes in my oven at 375. I let the cookies rest on the sheet pan for five minutes to set up.

The package screams Americana. Stars, firework style graphics and the aforementioned doughboy holding a pie.

If you're going to evoke apple pie that heavily, I'm going to expect something that tastes like apple pie.

How They Taste

Here’s the problem.

When you take a bite, you do get a little apple flavor. There’s a mild sweetness that suggests dried apples are doing some work in the dough.

But what you don’t get is cinnamon.

And that’s a surprisingly big issue.

I checked the ingredient list after tasting them because I kept waiting for the cinnamon flavor to show up. It never did.

For me, cinnamon is part of what makes apple pie taste like apple pie.

Without it, these cookies end up tasting more like a mildly sweet oatmeal cookie with a hint of apple than anything resembling an actual slice of pie.

The apple flavor isn’t offensive. It’s just incomplete.

And these cookies have strong 1990's low-fat baking energy.

These taste like when everyone's mom was baking with applesauce instead of butter: bland oatmeal cookies without any cinnamon or butter.

Would I Buy Them Again?

No.

If you’re a big apple pie fan, I’d save your money.

These aren’t terrible cookies. They’re perfectly edible, and some people may enjoy the lighter apple flavor.

But if you’re expecting warm apple pie spices, buttery pie filling flavors, or anything that reminds you of a slice of homemade apple pie, you’re probably going to be disappointed.

I'd skip it.

But please, if you've tried these cookies and disagree with my review, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I am one of the most critical people I know, second only to the people who birthed me.

Read the Pillsbury S'mores Cookie Dough Review

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Brownies with Cocoa Powder

Jennifer Osborn — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:37:08 +0000

Do you need intensely chocolatey brownies with that crackly top layer?
Then you need to make them with cocoa powder. If you don't believe me, you must believe Chef Mark Bittman, he of How to Bake Everything fame.

Just like chocolate chip cookies, a sprinkle of sea salt flakes over the top of a brownie improves flavor. See what kind of salt for cookie dough for more information about finishing desserts with salts 😋.

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Before You Start

Mix this recipe by hand, no electric mixer needed.
Don't skip the step of lining your pan with parchment paper, it's easier to slice and it reduces stick and cleanup.
Warm brownies fresh from the oven are hard to resist but resist if you want clean slices. The cooler the brownies are, the neater your slices will be.

Ingredients

Butter, melted
Granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Large eggs, room temperature
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Fine sea salt

See recipe card for amounts

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Base

Melt the butter and stir in the sugars and cocoa powder. The mixture will be thick, glossy and smell intensely chocolatey. Stir in the flour and salt just until no dry streaks remain. Don’t over mix or your brownies will be tough.

Add the Eggs

Whisk the eggs and vanilla separately, then slowly stir them into the warm chocolate mixture. Mixing gradually helps prevent the eggs from scrambling.

Bake

Spread the batter into a prepared 9x13-inch pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

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How do I make brownies fudgier?

Use less flour and don't overbake.

Why did my brownies come out cakey?

Most likely you didn't measure the flour correctly.

Can I freeze brownies?

Yes, brownies freeze like a champ. See Can I freeze Brownies for more information.

Can I add chocolate chips to cocoa powder brownies?

Dear one, you can add chocolate chips to whatever you'd like but especially this brownie recipe! Start with a cup. Add more if the spirit moves you.

How do I know when brownies are done?

Insert a toothpick in the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.

Can I use Dutch-process cocoa powder?

Yes. Since this recipe doesn't rely on baking soda for leavening, Dutch-process cocoa powder can be substituted for natural cocoa powder. The brownies will have a darker color and a slightly smoother chocolate flavor.

Recipe

Yield: 24

Brownies with Cocoa Powder

No Ratings

If you've got cocoa powder in the pantry, you're halfway to a pan of intensely chocolatey brownies, This easy recipe turns out fudgy brownies with a crackly top and deep chocolate flavor.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (227 g)
1¾ cups granulated sugar (350 g)
¾ cup packed brown sugar (165 g)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (85 g)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15 ml)
1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g)
½ teaspoon salt (2.5 g)

Instructions

Preheat oven – Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Leave an overhang for easy lifting.
Melt and mix sugars – In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in granulated and brown sugars until mostly dissolved. Let cool until warm.
Add cocoa – Stir in cocoa powder until mixture is glossy and smooth.
Whip eggs and vanilla – In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla for 1 to 2 minutes until foamy. This helps create the signature shiny top.
Combine – Slowly whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Fold in dry ingredients – Add flour and salt. Gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake for 25 to 28 minutes. The top should be shiny and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs.
Cool and slice – Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before lifting out and slicing.

Notes

Don't overbake these brownies. They will continue to set as they cool. For fudgy brownies, remove the pan from the oven when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

For clean slices, allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting.

This recipe was tested using natural unsweetened cocoa powder. Do not substitute hot cocoa mix.

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The post Brownies with Cocoa Powder appeared first on Kitchen Serf.

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