[December 2010]

On the 19th I will be producing 13 dozen Thumbprint Cookies. As anyone can imagine in this forum it will be quite a production. A helpful friend suggested that maybe I could do the FIRST rolling of the dough the night before and then chill the dough in the refrigerator.

While I find this an appealing planning route a few questions come to mind.

1. Will I need to compensate on liquid for this chilling since cool air dries things out?
2. Well the egg bath hold on the dough as well if the dough is chilled?
3. Will I need to adjust the baking time slightly due to the coolness of the dough?

I am planning on doing the second rolling of the dough right before baking.

Thanks for your input before hand.

MstrPBK
St, Paul. MN USA

I'm not trying to be rude - most recipes for thumbrpint cookies call for 1 c. flour - small batches - and make approximately 20 cookies. Thirteen dozen is 166 cookies - and you would need 8 to 9 batches. To me - that is nothing. We bake cookies by the BUSHEL in my house. You could make them fresh the same day in a couple hours. Want to save time - a few days before measure all your dry ingredients into ziplock bags. Then all you have to do is add your wet ingredients.

I wouldn't think of starting them the night before and doing what you want to do - bake a few batches the night before if you want - but I wouldn't bother with what you want to do.

I have one recipe handed down for generations - and it's a "normal" batch of cookies - and it calls for at least 25 pounds of flour for one batch. To me - having to make several batches of cookies that call for 1 cup flour per batch - it's nothing.

Like I said - I am not trying to be rude - you can whip up those cookies in no time.

No your not being rude. What your expressing is that your kitchen is set up for the space to do 'bushels of cookies' at a time; in short a more industrial kitchen set-up. My kitchen is not what you might call big nor am I a able-bodied person (with 10 disabilities). It is also possible that you have assistance in your kitchen; where my production of cookies is a one person job.

As you could tell I was thinking about taking the production steps and dividing the work flow into two stages: "Pre-rolling" as stage one; and the egg and nuts, baking, and adding the topping in a later stage.

I appreciate your input and will take it into consideration. Prepping the ingredients before hand may also be a consideration I adopt.

Respectfully submitted,
MstrPBK
St .Paul, MN USA

I have a regular kitchen - nothing big or fancy - just a normal kitchen with a regular gas stove/oven. I have no help. I am also 100% disabled - many disabilities - so I know what it is like. I do all the cooking, baking, cleaning, etc. I have no one to help me with it.

It's a heluva lot of work too - I know it. But at least that recipe can be handled easier than a larger one. It would just require making several batches.

If this is for a cookie exchange - you may want to try to make no-bake cookies - that may be easier for you.