Can you use both melted and creamed butter for cookies?
I've been reading up on cookie science, and read that melted butter makes a denser cookie, and creamed room temp butter makes a cakey cookie. I'm looking to make a cookie thats mostly thin and very crispy on the edges with a little chewiness on the inside. Would mixing butter be a bad idea/does anyone know what the outcome would be if i did a 50/50 melted/creamed butter mix?
Best Answer
The process of mixing butter and sugar is called 'creaming' and the purpose is "Creaming adds air. Air is fluffy." so you are on the right track, but unlikely to get consistency out of just using 'melted butter'. The creaming process is time sensitive, that is, the more you do it, the more 'cake like' your cookies will be. Rather than using melted butter, which will not mix well with your sugar, just cream for a shorter period of time. In this picture you see the results of creaming over time...
These are from the linked article [above] showing minute-by-minute progress of creamed butter, with the egg added in the last stage.
You are probably looking to only reach #3 or #4 to consistently get the results you seek. (Have fun experimenting to get it 'just right')
Pictures about "Can you use both melted and creamed butter for cookies?"
How does melted butter effect cookies versus creamed butter?
When you cream butter it allows for small air pockets to be formed within the dough. This helps keep your cookies fluffy and cook evenly. The fat in the butter is also more solid than if it were melted which helps the dough hold it's shape and it won't flatten as quickly when placed on your cookie sheet.Can I Cream butter with melted butter?
Substituting melted butter will alter the texture of your baked good. Many recipes do call for melted butter, but it is not a good idea to use melted butter in a recipe that calls for creamed butter.Will melted butter ruin cookies?
Adding melted butter to your recipe will change your cookies' and cakes' structure, density, and texture: Adding melted butter instead of the traditional softened butter will result in a chewier cookie. Softened butter in cookie dough will give you a more cake-like cookie.Should you melt butter before creaming it?
To properly cream butter and sugar, you want to start with softened butter. Chilled butter is too hard to break down and fully blend with the sugar. Overly soft or melted butter will whip up into frothy air bubbles, which eventually collapse into a greasy, wet batter and bake into a heavy and soggy baked good.Cookie Science 5: Melted vs. Solid Butter
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Arun Thomas, Mi Butter SA, ready made, George Dolgikh @ Giftpundits.com