Basic Drop Cookies

Directions

1. 1
   Prepare oven and pans Heat oven to 350F, with one rack in center and one rack in bottom third.
2. 2
   Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. 3
   Combine dry ingredients In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
4. 4
   Cream butter and sugars Place butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl.
5. 5
   Mash and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is very light and fluffy (this can take up to 6 minutes, or 2 to 3 minutes if youre using an electric mixer).
6. 6
   Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly incorporated after each.
7. 7
   Stir in vanilla.
8. 8
   Add dry ingredients and mix-ins Add dry ingredients in three additions, stirring until completely incorporated after each.
9. 9
   Stir in desired add-ins.
10. 10
    (Or, if making several types of cookies, first divide dough into equal parts and then stir in appropriate amounts of add-ins: 1 rounded cup for dough split in half, 3/4 cup for dough divided into thirds.)
11. 11
    Bake and cool Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart Bake, rotating sheets top to bottom and back to front halfway through, until golden brown at edges and set in center, 13 to 15 minutes.
12. 12
    Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. 13
    Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or frozen up to 1 month.
14. 14
    If your cookies turn out dense and hard, you might be using ingredients that are too cold and not creaming them enough.
15. 15
    If your cookies spread too much in the oven and are too thin, on the other hand, you might be overdoing the creaming step or using ingredients that are too warm.
16. 16
    Its worth the time to chill your dough before baking; this will help to control how much it spreads in the oven as it bakes.
17. 17
    Before incorporating chopped nuts into doughs or batters, sift out the fine dust in a sieve.
18. 18
    This will keep the particles from clouding the color or imparting a grainy texture.