How to Make Crispy Cookies

Co-authored by Quynh La

Last Updated: March 21, 2022 References

Many prefer the taste and texture of a crispy cookie to that of a chewy flaky one. With the right ingredients, and the proper cooking technique, it is possible to bake a cookie that will snap off in your mouth instead of melt in it. Prep your oven, and mouth, for some crunchy cookies.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Adapting Recipes for Making Crispier Cookies

1
Reduce ingredients that hold moisture. Flour, eggs and brown sugar all hold on to moisture, leading to fluffy moist cookies. If you are look for a crispier treat, try using less of these three ingredients.
2
Use all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour has a higher protein content compared to other flours. Extra protein helps create a browner appearance and crispier texture.

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3
Bake the cookies for longer at a lower temperature. This will allow the cookies time to spread before they firm. It will also help dry out your cookies as well.
4
Use butter. Compared to shortening or oil, butter has a lower melting temperature. This will allow your cookies to spread more during baking.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Quynh La
Professional Baker
Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.} Butter also has protein in it, which helps with browning and crisping.
5
Try white sugar or corn syrup. Avoid using brown sugar, which holds on to moisture, and instead use a processed sugar. This will lead to a drier and crispier cookie.
6
Skip the eggs. Eggs hold a lot of moisture and, when cooked, they release lots of steam. This steam acts as a leavening agent, making cookies moist and fluffy. You will get a flatter, thinner and crispier cookie without eggs.
- You can substitute applesauce instead of an egg, but applesauce also has a lot of moisture in it.^{[2]
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- You could also try out vegetable oil. ^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Baking Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1
Assemble your ingredients. Before you begin baking, you will need to make sure that you have 2 cups of light brown sugar, 1 ¾ cups of unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar, 3 whole eggs, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 2 ¼ cups of white flour, 1 ½ teaspoons of table salt, ¾ teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 pound of dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Have all of these ingredients on hand before you begin making your cookies.^{[4]
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- This recipe will make roughly 34 cookies.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature.
2
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (191 degrees Celsius). It is important that the oven has had enough time to reach the appropriate temperature for baking crispy cookies. If you put your dough into an oven that is not warm enough, your cookies will likely melt together into a giant cookie mess.^{[5]
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- For a thicker, yet still crispy, cookie, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).^{[6]
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3
Create the butter mixture. Mix the brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer until the mixture is pale and fluffy.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Quynh La
Professional Baker
Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.} This should take about five minutes. Once the sugars and butter are creamed, add three eggs one at a time and mix them in completely. Finally, mix in 1/3 cup of water and the vanilla.^{[8]
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- Fat will help make your cookies crispier. The more butter, the crispier the cookie.^{[9]
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- Add ¼ cup of vegetable oil to make your cookies a little thicker.^{[10]
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- If you do not have a standing mixer, you can mix these ingredients together by hand. However, it will take much longer.
4
Stir together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix these ingredients together. Once they are incorporated, add the flour mixture to the butter and mix on low until thoroughly combined. Finally, mix in the chocolate pieces.^{[11]
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Quynh La
Professional Baker
Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.}
- Be sure to mix slowly. You want to ensure that everything is mixed evenly. You also do not want to make a mess.
5
Freeze the dough. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out cookie dough and freeze for an hour. Because they will melt a lot when they cook, try to keep at least four inches between each cookie.^{[12]
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- If you want more evenly distributed and uniform cookies, use an ice cream scoop.
- Using parchment paper will make sure that the cookies do not stick. It also helps your baking sheets last longer.
- If you are not going to cook all of the cookies, pop the remainder off of the parchment paper and place them in a freezer bag. You can store your cookies in the freezer for up to two weeks.
6
Bake until golden brown. Place the cookies in the oven and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The longer the cookies bake, the crispier they will get, so try different lengths of time to find the right crispiness for you.^{[13]
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- Depending on your oven, heating time may vary.
7
Let the cookies cool. Once they have baked to the desired crispiness, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool. Because they will be extremely thin, use a spatula to remove the cookies.^{[14]
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- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a crispier texture.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Baking Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

1
Gather your ingredients. Before you begin baking, make sure that you have the following ingredients: 1 cup flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 14 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats.^{[15]
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- This recipe will make about 24 cookies.
- Make sure that the butter is room temperature.
2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Make sure that the oven is preheated to the right temperature. The correct amount of heat is essential to ensure that you have crispy cookies.^{[16]
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3
Make your flour mixture. In medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside until you have creamed your butter.^{[17]
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4
Mix the sugars and butter. In a large bowl, mix the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. If you are using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, begin on a low setting for about 30 seconds, to get the mixture started, and then increase the speed to medium and mix for about a minute, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix on medium until well incorporated.^{[18]
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- Remember to mix slowly at first and increase the speed gradually so that you do not create a mess.
- You can also mix by hand. However, that will take more time.
5
Add the dry ingredients. Once your butter mixture is good and whipped, add the flour mixture and stir until well-mixed. After that, gradually add the oats and mix until they are well-combined. Incorporating all of the dry ingredients should take about two minutes.^{[19]
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- You can also stir the mixture with a wooden spoon to make sure that no flour pockets remain and that the dough is fully incorporated.
6
Place the dough on a cookie sheet. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop out two tablespoon-sized chunks of dough and form them into balls. Place each ball of dough about 2 ½ inches apart on a baking sheet. If you like a thinner cookie, you can also squish the dough. However, the cookies should melt enough on their own and become rather thin.^{[20]
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- You should be able to put about 8 dough balls on a baking sheet. However, that number may change depending on the size of your sheet.
7
Bake the cookies. Place the sheet with cookies in the preheated oven and let them bake until golden brown. This should take about 15 minutes. However, it may take longer depending on your taste. When they are done, the edges should be crisp and the centers still slightly soft.^{[21]
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- Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet for a crispier texture.
- Depending on your oven, cooking time may vary.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Crispy Sugar Cookies

1
Gather your ingredients. Before you begin cooking, make sure that you have the following ingredients: 1 cup butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup 2% milk.^{[22]
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- This recipe should make about eight dozen cookies.
- Make sure that the butter is room temperature.
2
Preheat the oven. Turn on the oven and set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).^{[23]
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Quynh La
Professional Baker
Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.} If the oven is too hot or too cold, you will not get the crispy texture you desire.^{[24]
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3
Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.^{[25]
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Quynh La
Professional Baker
Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.} Once the butter is creamed, mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. This should only take a few minutes with a stand mixer or handheld mixer.^{[26]
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- Make sure that the butter is softened but not melted.
4
Mix your flour mixture. In small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Once they are thoroughly mixed, add a little of it to the butter mix. Alternate adding the flour mix and the milk until fully incorporated.^{[27]
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- Remember to mix slowly at first and speed up as the dough constitutes.
5
Refrigerate the dough. Leave the dough in the mixing bowl and cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, or until it is easily malleable. The dough should be relatively dense.^{[28]
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6
Shape the cookies. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/8th inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out the shapes you want.^{[29]
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- Getting the right thickness when you roll out the dough will help you get a crispier cookie.
7
Place the cookies on a baking sheet. Grease a baking sheet or cover it in parchment paper. Then place the cut out cookies about two inches apart on the sheets.^{[30]
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- If the cookies are too close together, they will melt to each other. Plus the edges might not get crispy.
8
Bake the cookies. Place the cookies in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the edges are light brown.^{[31]
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- Cooking time may vary depending on taste and oven.
9
Cool the cookies. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and leave them on the sheets to cool. This will ensure that they get nice and crispy.^{[32]
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- Once they have cooled, you can also ice the sugar cookies. Waiting until the cookies are cool with ensure that your icing does not melt and run.
10
Finished.

Expert Q&A

Question

Why aren't my cookies crunchy?

Quynh La
Professional Baker
Quynh La is a Professional Baker and the Owner of Sugar Bakery & Cafe in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in baking cakes, cookies, croissants, and bread. Quynh holds an AAS in Culinary Arts from South Seattle College and a second AAS in Specialty Desserts & Bread from Seattle Central College.

Quynh La

Professional Baker

Expert Answer

You didn't press the batter down before sliding them into the oven. Your cookies will end up chewy when you leave the batter as-is.
Question

How can I make my cookies crunchy?

Community Answer

Adding more butter to your recipe, baking your cookies longer, and letting them cool on the baking sheet will help give you crunchier cookies.
Question

How do I know when the cookies are ready?

Community Answer

Your cookies should be golden brown when they are ready to be taken out of the oven.