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Serving fresh warm cookies?

2K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  brooksms 
#1 ·
I have a business selling thick soft cookies and am thinking about how I will transition into a storefront. The cookies are large, at least 4 oz, and very gooey in the middle straight from the oven. The centers take a long time to set, 40+ mins. While the chips are still melty after the long rest, the cookies aren't warm. It works with custom orders and events because they're baked in advance, eaten at room temp and stay fresh for approx 1 week. No dry cookies! For now I can bake prior to opening and use my current recipe.

However, I'd love to offer fresh warm cookies throughout the day. I'm not trained and my head is spinning from the millions of variables to alter. When baked longer, the exterior gets dark/dry and the inside is still too gooey to serve warm. I've tried multiple recipe variations baked at 350 up to 410 F. I haven't played around with baking powder much but worry they'd be cakey. The only way I've achieved thick cookies with quick solidifying centers is using a dry dough, 1.75 cups flour + 1.4 cups sugar for a typical 1 egg/1 stick butter recipe. Unfortunately it's much less delicious and won't stay soft. I don't ever want someone to say my cookies are dry! Is there a certain ratio I can start with to fix this issue? Is this a matter of home vs commercial oven? Any other thoughts?
 
#4 ·
Something must be off with your recipe still.

Many restaurants serve hot big cookies baked in cast iron pans right out of the oven and they seem okay to eat.

My 3 oz cookies can be eaten right out of the oven too without being disgusting. An extra ounce shouldn't be a problem.
 
#5 ·
Yes, something is off with the recipe! That's why I'm here. :) This recipe is too flat when baked at 350. It was written to be baked at a high temp (410) to maintain thickness with a gooey center. It's a higher moisture recipe so that doesn't allow enough time for moisture to evaporate before the outside is done. I just can't seem to get the right ratio to fix this without the cookies becoming too hard/dry once cool. I want the best of both!
 
#6 ·
Maybe approach it from a different perspective - say warm cookies are available at specific times during the day - this way you plan your "rush" times and people know when they can come in if they want a warm cookie. Play it up as a perk and not a problem, put a clock outside set to the next time warm cookies are available. Use social media to announce the time of the day (recognize you are training your customers to come in so keep the times consistent, unless someone is placing a big enough order to warrant a change in your baking schedule.) There's nothing wrong with your cookies otherwise (because of your custom orders) so you know you can sell rm temp cookies and they'll still be happy with their purchase. Sometimes the realities of business alter your plans once you open and you are spending time solving a problem now that doesn't yet exist.....
 
#7 ·
I like that perspective! No pressure to make sure there are constantly warm cookies. I'll remember that when the time comes! The problem is that the cookies my customers love can't be served warm at all. The centers are way too moist. I've been trying other ratios and luckily found something closer to what I have in mind!
 
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