Everything you knead to know about perfect cookies and dough

A plate of homemade cookies, all wrapped up in shiny cellophane and tied with a pretty bow, is one of the best gifts to give and receive.

But professional bakers know that even the most carefully written recipe isn't enough to guarantee success. So before you begin to fire up the oven, pay attention to the small details that can make a big difference.

The following cookie tips are from "King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking" (The Countryman Press, 2006).

When adding softer dried or fresh fruits to cookie dough, be aware that beating the fruit in — rather than gently mixing it in — may result in fruit bits, not whole pieces of fruit.

If your recipe directs you to chill the dough before shaping, follow the instructions. Chilling accomplishes four things:

• It gives gluten in the cookies time to relax, resulting in a more tender cookie.

• It gives the fat time to harden, yielding a lighter texture.

• It gives whole grains a chance to absorb liquid in the dough. (Because of their coarser texture, whole grains absorb liquids much more slowly than all-purpose flour.)

• Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too much as they bake.

To avoid those ragged cracks around the edge of rolled cookie dough, start with a smooth edge. Once dough is thoroughly mixed, gather into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Flatten to about 1 inch thick and roll it on its edge along the work surface, as though you were rolling a wheel. Repeat flattening and rolling until you have a round, hockey puck-like disk with smooth edges. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to roll out.

When rolling out dough for cutout cookies, roll from the center outward, giving the dough a quarter turn on the floured surface with each stroke of the pin. This will produce a more tender cookie than rolling back and forth over the dough.

One of the best solutions to keep cookies from spreading too much is to line the baking sheets with baker's parchment paper. It also helps to prevent the bottoms from burning and allows the cookies to slide right off the pan to cooling racks. Always cool the baking pans completely before adding the next batch of cookie dough.

If you must grease the cookie sheets, be sure to use a very light hand. If the recipe directions don't require greasing, don't.

To keep soft cookies soft, store them in a cookie jar or plastic container with a slice of apple. Crisp cookies should be stored in an airtight tin.

To freeze cookies up to three months, wrap in a zip-top plastic bag, expelling as much air from the bag as possible before sealing.

To recrisp cookies that have gone soft, spread on a baking sheet and put into a preheated 300-degree oven 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Chocolate is a flavor whose richness is enhanced by the clean flavor of vanilla. What many don't know is that coffee performs the same function: It complements and enhances the flavor of chocolate without contributing any discernible taste of its own. Use a touch of espresso powder in your chocolate recipes or, if the recipes includes water, substitute cold brewed coffee.

In cookies with a rougher texture, such as chocolate chip, oatmeal and bar cookies, you can substitute up to 50 percent whole wheat for unbleached all-purpose flour. Let the baked cookies or bars rest up to 24 hours before serving. The resting time gives the bran a chance to soften, which tempers the gritty-mouth feel that sometimes occurs with whole wheat.

Compiled by CeCe Sullivan, Seattle Times home economist