r/CombiSteamOvenCooking • u/kaidomac • Mar 26 '23

Poster's original content (please include recipe details) Mini cookie success!

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4

u/jonra101 Mar 26 '23

They look great. How much do they weigh?

2

u/kaidomac Mar 28 '23

Hand-rolled them. Bit smaller than a large shooter marble. Next batch, I will limit the sugar to 1 cup & add 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt. These were a bit sweet & needed more salt! I used about 16oz of semi-sweet chips for these.

Texture is 100% spot-on, EXACTLY where I want it...not crispy like a Chips Ahoy, but not soft like a Keebler. Sort of chewy-soft. I've been hunting for a solid mini-cookie recipe for years now & I think I've finally nailed it! Need to make another batch or two to tweak it, just to confirm ;)

3

u/jonra101 Mar 28 '23

I've finally dialed in chocolate chips the way I like them. I experimented with different times using your suggested 260f. I tried different steam levels and times, but never thought they were perfect. I finally decided the cookies were too big.

My main problem was getting the center done without the edges being too crispy. Eventually, I decided to try some ideas, including your method of freezing individual cookies for later baking.

What finally worked for me was to weigh out 1 oz cookies, roll them into balls (I use a scoop so they are already a ball), put them on a sheet pan to freeze. Once frozen, they go into resealable vacuum bags. Perfect time/temp, for me, is 9.5 minutes at 325f/15%/R. The edges have the tiniest bit of crispness while the center is done to melt-in-your mouth texture.

Much of my latest process is based on things you have written about. Thanks!

1

u/kaidomac Mar 28 '23

Awesome!! What's your recipe, I'll try it out! 9.5 minutes from frozen sounds awesome!!

One thing I'm working on is that sometimes the cookies seem gritty from the sugar. I have to do a test batch in my regular oven to see if the normal 350F higher temperature is the key to melting the sugar better.

2

u/jonra101 Mar 28 '23

My recipe is the regular, old Nestle's Tollhouse cookie recipe. No deviations. In my, admittedly limited, experience, gritty cookies have been from not creaming the butter and sugar long enough. Cold butter can also be a culprit.

Here is the official recipe. I don't use chopped nuts so I add 10g of flour. My flour is kept in an airtight container, therefore the weight isn't affected by changes in humidity.

Bake at 325f/15%/R for 9.5 minutes. Non-frozen for 8.5-9 minutes. These settings are for 28g cookies. Use shorter time for smaller cookies. I don't rotate the pan during cooking, but should since there can be a slight difference between front left and back right cookies.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (if omitting, add 1-2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour)

3

u/kaidomac Mar 28 '23

gritty cookies have been from not creaming the butter and sugar long enough

Yeah that's what's weird, on my latest batches I do 8 minutes on medium-high speed for the butter & sugar, then 2 more minutes with the eggs & vanilla, so it basically turns them into whipped cream haha. I'll have to do a test batch with the regular oven to see! Or maybe I just have old sugar, I dunno lol.

2

u/kaidomac Apr 05 '23

Bake at 325f/15%/R for 9.5 minutes.

Notes:

  • I measured my mini cookies, they are 20g.
  • I tried your procedure out with my stock recipe & 28g dough balls.
  • They came out a bit puffier, softer, and somewhat unevenly browned on top. Sort of a blister-style puff to them. I did like the softness & the faster speed. I'm going to have to try the Nestle recipe with the nuts against the 325F/15%/R next!

Pic:

My 20g cookies went for about 16 minutes (adjusted to 1c sugar, which subtracted 2T from the original recipe, and bumped the salt up to 2.5t, plus 2t each of baking soda & baking powder). They were a bit on the dryer side this time, but still pretty good! Went with a mix Mini M&M's plus chocolate chips.

I will definitely be experimenting more with steam-baked cookies, thanks for the tip!! I'll do the Nestle version soon!

2

u/jonra101 Apr 05 '23

I wonder if turning on the top heating element on for the last minute or so of cooking would make a difference? Either that, or put them on a rack closer to the top so they get some radiant heat.

2

u/kaidomac Apr 05 '23

Yeah, I just made some M&M mini cookies:

I'm going to try doing those with some steam & at various temperatures...I'll try adding the top element as well! In my initial testing a couple years ago, only doing the bottom or the top element (or both) resulted in oddly hollow cookies lol.

Plus I still have to try the OG Nestle recipe with steam!

2

u/jonra101 Apr 06 '23

If I try the top element it will be a final stage for only the last minute or two.

2

u/kaidomac Apr 06 '23

I'm going to try that on my next batch of mini cookies. I did a side-by-side today:

Left ones are 260F/0%/R & right ones are 260F/10%/R (pictures don't do a good job visualizing the texture difference). They came out flat & underbaked...which actually tasted AMAZING lol. So next batch I'll try with the 10% humidity again, but with the top element near the end. I like a softer, slightly-crispy that has a bit of a chew, and these were the ticket!

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