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How to Nail the Perfect Cookie with NYT Cooking’s Vaughn Vreeland by Vaughn Vreeland, Christine Cyr Clisset, Caira Blackwell, Rosie Guerin

How to Nail the Perfect Cookie with NYT Cooking’s Vaughn Vreeland

from The Wirecutter Show

by Vaughn Vreeland, Christine Cyr Clisset, Caira Blackwell, Rosie Guerin

Published: Wed Dec 03 2025

Show Notes

Holiday baking season is here, and nobody knows how to bake a delicious cookie better than Vaughn Vreeland, host of NYT Cooking’s Bake Time and author of the book, Cookies. In this episode, Vaughn breaks down the gear you actually need, and shares clever fixes for common cookie problems—from his best advice to using browned butter in a recipe to reducing sugar without sacrificing flavor. He also walks us through his best tricks for better texture, picture-perfect tops, and the surprising savory ingredients that make sweet cookies even better.

This episode covers:

  • The essential gear every baker needs. Vaughn recommends a strong silicone spatula (“spoonula”), a cookie scoop, a rimmed baking sheet, a kitchen scale, and a cooling rack that fits inside the sheet pan are all key tools to make the baking process easier.
  • Nice-to-have upgrades that actually make a difference. Vaughn says that offset spatulas, ring molds for perfectly round cookies, and oven thermometers improve consistency and confidence.
  • How to troubleshoot flat or spreading cookies. Chilling the dough (always after scooping), adjusting sugar ratios, refreshing your baking soda/powder, and avoiding overcrowded pans can help with this common problem.
  • How to reduce sugar without ruining texture. According to Vaughn, water is the secret ingredient in cookies. If you’re going to reduce the sugar, and possibly some of the fat, a splash of water can help rebalance the dough.
  • Savory ingredients that level up cookies. Miso, olive oil, gochujang caramel, and other surprising add-ins create depth, balance sweetness, and make flavors pop.
  • Lightning-round fixes for common cookie issues. Hard? Overbaked. Cakey? Too much flour. Burning on the bottom? Your oven might run hot.
  • The best advice for any cookie baker. Mistakes happen—but baking should stay fun. And if all else fails, at least you’ll have a cookie at the end of the day.

Wirecutter picks for baking cookies:

Other products Vaughn recommends:

NYT Cooking Cookie Recipes Vaughn mentioned:

Additional reading:

  • The 11 Best Spatulas of 2025
  • The Best Holiday Cookie Baking Gear for 2025
  • The 4 Best Kitchen Scales of 2025
  • The 3 Best Baking Sheets of 2025
  • The 11 Best Spatulas of 2025
  • The 7 Best Butters of 2025

More Vaughn

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

How to Nail the Perfect Cookie with NYT Cooking’s Vaughn Vreeland | Podcst