Creaming Method - for Cookie Dough, Quick breads & Icings

If you've ever made muffins, cream cheese icing or chocolate chip cookie dough, chances are you're already familiar with the creaming method. It's a versatile technique used to make a large number of bakery items that are typically high in fat and sugar. Although it's quite easy master, there are some key things to know to achieve the best possible outcome.

Introduction

In baking and pastry there is a method for just about everything; a set of guidelines that you can apply to almost any recipe that uses the same technique.

The method for making many cookies, quick breads and icings is referred to as the creaming method. As implied in the name, the first step in the creaming method is to beat butter and sugar together until a creamed consistency. You may have seen this written in a recipe as "light and fluffy". Creaming helps to evenly distribute the sugar into the butter and incorporate air into the mixture. Achieving proper volume through creaming is key in making light and airy buttercreams and fluffy cakes.

What you can make using the creaming method

• Pound cake, banana bread, high-ratio cakes
• American buttercream, cream cheese icing
• Tart dough, shortbread, oatmeal cookies

Creaming method basic steps

1. Mix together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy
2. Gradually add eggs to form an emulsion
3. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined

Key points to remember:

• Use butter, lard or shortening. Oil does not work.
• Butter, lard or shortening should be soft
• To achieve proper texture and volume, cream fat and sugar until light and fluffy. A KitchenAid mixer with paddle attachment works best, but a hand mixer works too
• When adding eggs to creamed butter + sugar, do so incrementally. This is to create a homogenous dough or batter by creating an emulsion
• Room temperature eggs can help ensure an emulsified batter. However, unless stated, the temperature of the eggs will not make or break a recipe.
• Add extracts when incorporating eggs
• Use flours lower in protein, such as all-purpose, pastry and cake flour
• Mix dry ingredients together. In most cases whisking to combine works, but when making more delicate items sift your flour.
• Add dry ingredients all at once. For recipes that call for creme fraiche, sour cream, milk or buttermilk, alternate dry ingredients with the liquid (dry, liquid, dry, liquid, dry - always beginning and ending with the dry ingredients)
• Once dry ingredients are added, mix until combined. Do not over mix.
• Scrape the bowl, frequently. It's most important before and after each addition of eggs and after the addition of the flour.
• Once the dough or batter is 90% mixed, incorporate any add-ins (chocolate chips, coconut, etc.)
• Recipes using the creaming method may or may not include eggs, liquid (milk, water) or flour.
• In most cases, an overnight rest in the fridge will allow the flour to hydrate properly and improve the structure and texture of the finished product.

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