Master cookie dough? What? I can hear you all scratching your heads. A master cookie dough is a dough that is very versatile and can be made into many different kinds of cookies. One dough, many types of cookies.
Yes, this nondescript, blob of dough is magical! With just one recipe you will be able to dazzle and delight even the most finicky of cookie eaters! I am indeed a drama queen who loves hyperbole. I must have been a Madison Ave. copywriter in a past life.
With the holiday baking season here, this dough can save you time, money and aggravation. Make the dough, divide it up and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. You may want to make only one type of cookie or twelve. When you use this dough, the option is yours.
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer on high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Reduce the speed to medium, add the eggs, half and half and vanilla. Mix until all the ingredients are combined.
Reduce the speed to low, then slowly add the flour mixture, stopping to scrap down the bowl as needed. Continue until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Divide the dough into 1 cup portions, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least two hours. The dough can also be frozen for future use.
Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: Total time: 20 mins Yield: 8 cups
Coming soon! Cookie #1 - Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars
You would do best to reduce by half, then freeze the unused portion of dough for future cookies. Dividing an egg is nearly impossible, unless you have a very precise scale.
Regular whole milk will be fine, but I do not recommend a dry milk of any kind. Even with all the butter the liquid also needs to have some fat content!
OINARI says
Hi!,
QUESTION/S: Need to reduce to 1/4 of recipe, so, the EGG: beat, and use half of that, or, go ahead w/1 whole egg? Don’t have 1/2 & 1/2, can I use reg. milk, reconstituted buttermilk powder, or evap. milk?
THANX!
Evanne says
Whew, I went with the two teaspoons 🙂
Good catch Evanne! It should indeed be 2 teaspoons of vanilla! So much for my proofreading skills! LOL
Evanne says
Love the master cookie dough recipe! But are you sure about the two tablespoons of vanilla? I wondered if that should read two teaspoons…
SeattleDee says
Mmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm good. I’m really looking forward to all of the variations on this basic recipe, though you had me from the start at Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars.
Wow this is genius! and that Coconut bars image made me want to rip it off the screen haha
Yes, these are delicious plain. I like to roll the dough into logs in parchment paper, then slice thinly and bake. They get nice and crispy, and melt in your mouth!
can you use the master cookie dough recipe on its own??? just like a sugar vanilla cookie??? or is it a master recipe to add things to???
I can not wait to try!!!!!
I have never tried using a cookie press with this dough before. It is a fairly dense dough, so I am not sure it would go through a press easily.
Leah says
Sounds so good! Are you able to use this dough for those cookie presses? I have one and would love to have a good dough for it.
These are like a sugar cookie, but the you can add in other goodies too. Stay tuned for recipes using this dough. The first one is a bar cookie with chocolate chips and coconut. Many more to follow!
What a great idea! Are these a sugar cookie type cookie, or could you throw chocolate chips or oatmeal or raisins in here too? Curious what other kinds of cookies you’ve made from this. Such a great idea.
I love this idea. Can’t wait to see the coconut bars!
yes! one that I can add to my go-to repertoire!!!
Nyree says
Genius, I LOVE this!