Cookie

Cookies vary greatly in size, so count them rather than estimating by weight: one or two small cookies is a practical snack portion. A 30 g portion provides 144 kcal.

Chill the dough until firm, then put the shaped cookies on a cool baking tray with space between them. Bake in a fully preheated oven; warm dough and a hot tray make them spread quickly.

Look for set edges with a little colour; the centres may still feel soft. Leave them on the tray for a few minutes to firm up before moving them to a cooling rack.

Cool them completely, then keep them in an airtight tin at room temperature. Store crisp cookies separately from soft ones, as moisture passes between them and changes their texture.

Yes. Shape the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray until firm, then seal them in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the usual baking time.

In British English, a biscuit is usually crisp and firm, while a cookie often means a larger, softer bake, commonly with chocolate chips. The words overlap, and recipes and packaging do not always follow that distinction.

Crushed digestive biscuits are a common replacement: mix the crumbs with melted butter and press them firmly into the tin. They make a less sweet, slightly more crumbly base than many cookies.

Plain cookie crumbs are not a suitable treat, and cookies containing chocolate, raisins or the sweetener xylitol can be dangerous to dogs. Keep them out of reach and contact a vet promptly if a dog eats a cookie with one of these ingredients.