Instructions: Never use diet, whipped or liquid margarine for baking. These spreads contain water and wont provide enough fat for your cookie to bake properly.

If using butter use the stick variety and make sure its soft but not melted. This way, it will be incorporated more easily into the flour.

Too much mixing will cause cookies to be tough.

Choose the right sugar. White sugar will make cookies crisp.

Brown sugar contains more moisture and so will result in a chewy cookie. As a matter of fact, cookies made from brown sugar will continue to absorb moisture after baking and will stay chewy for quite a while.

Use large-size eggs and allow them to come to room temperature before adding them to the recipe. Remember that egg yokes add moistness to a cookie and egg whites cause it to be drier.

Cookies require a two-step mixing technique. Shortening and liquid ingredients should be mixed vigorously. This is the most important step because it incorporates air into the batter.

Dry ingredients should be mixed just until blended. This will make sure the dough is tender.

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