Devise Outside the Lines: Kitchen Creativity

The first time I tried to bake cookies on my own, without my parents’ help, I was 21 and living in a cheap apartment in Tempe, Arizona. My friends had just come over to help me paint a wall in my living room, and I wanted to thank them with some homemade snickerdoodles. Unfortunately, the snickerdoodles had other plans and burned to a crisp.

After that day, I didn’t bake again until I met my husband. He loves desserts and has one after dinner almost every night. I already loved watching baking shows on Food Network, so I finally had a reason to give baking another shot. Hopefully, this time I could make it through a batch of cookies without burning them.

With my husband’s support, I started experimenting with different recipes. Some turned out much better than others, but this time, I didn’t give up just because I burned a few cookies. I kept trying, learning along the way, and slowly getting better.

After multiple attempts, a few burned fingers, and a very messy kitchen, I finally reached the point where I could bake desserts everyone actually wanted to eat. One of my favorite things to bake is shortbread cookies. They aren’t overly sweet and, when baked properly, practically melt in your mouth.

Now, you might be thinking shortbread cookies are pretty simple. And while the ingredient list may be straightforward, getting the texture just right takes a little practice. The dough needs to be crumbly enough to create that signature buttery texture, but not so dry that it falls apart when you try to shape it. It’s all about finding the right balance of flavor, texture, and, of course, the bake.

My shortbread cookies aren’t your basic 1:2:3 ratio of sugar, butter, and flour. I add a butter-vanilla emulsion to amplify the buttery flavor, use powdered sugar for that melt-in-your-mouth texture, and add a pinch of espresso powder to balance the sweetness. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from baking, it’s that the little details can make a big difference.

Another important step is refrigerating the cookies before baking. Chilling the dough for at least an hour helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven instead of spreading.

Now for the good stuff: the recipe

Ingredients

• ¾ pound of butter (or, in layman’s terms, 3 sticks of butter)

• 1 cup powdered sugar, because regular sugar just won’t cut it

• 1 teaspoon butter-vanilla emulsion, because regular vanilla isn’t the vibe

• 2 teaspoons espresso powder, because why not?

• 3½ cups flour. I have nothing exciting to say about this one. It’s just flour.

• ¼ teaspoon salt, just enough to balance out the sweetness

The bake

1. Cream the butter and sugar.

First things first, make sure your butter is softened but not too soft. You want it to feel slightly firm to the touch while still giving a little when you press it.

Add the softened butter and powdered sugar to a stand mixer and cream them together. This isn’t a one-minute process! Let the mixer run for about five minutes, until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Taking the time to do this helps create the right texture.

2. Add the flavoring.

Add the butter-vanilla emulsion and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly combined.

3. Mix in the dry ingredients.

Sift the flour, salt, and espresso powder together. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until the dough starts to come together.

Once the dough begins to form, turn off the mixer. You don’t want to overwork it!

4. Roll and cut the cookies.

Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface or a sheet of parchment paper. Roll it out to about ¼ inch thick and cut out your favorite shapes.

I went with a coffee mug and a cup because, let’s face it, I can’t live without a good cup of coffee every morning.

5. Chill the cookies.

Place the cut-out cookies on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. You can also use a lightly greased baking sheet.

Refrigerate the cookies for 1–2 hours to help them hold their shape while baking.

6. Bake!

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the oven is ready and the cookies are chilled, bake them for 10–12 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep an eye on them, since baking times can vary. You want the cookies to set, with the edges just beginning to turn golden.

And, most importantly, try not to recreate my original snickerdoodle experience.

The decoration

Now comes the fun part: decorating!

If you love chocolate as much as my husband does, why not add a little extra sweetness to these cookies?

For a simple chocolate drizzle or dip, you’ll need about 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir, then continue heating in 15–30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies or dip them in it. Let the chocolate set before serving.

If you want to take things one step further, you can also decorate the cookies with royal icing.

Cookie decorating was something I’d always wanted to try but never seemed to have the time for. During COVID, though, I was home all the time and wanted a new hobby, so I gave it a shot. And I failed miserably.

Naturally, I kept trying.

While I won’t be entering any cookie-decorating competitions anytime soon, my skills have improved a little. Here’s a picture of one of my latest cookies! I’m still working on my technique, but I can at least flood a cookie without the icing dripping down the sides. I’m calling that progress.

Royal Icing Ingredients

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons meringue powder

• 9 tablespoons water

• ½ teaspoon flavoring or 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the ingredients until the icing is smooth and reaches your desired consistency. You can adjust it with small amounts of water or powdered sugar as needed, depending on whether you’re outlining cookies or flooding them with icing.

What baking has taught me about work

While baking may seem easy from the outside, it requires attention to detail, the ability to follow instructions, patience, and time management. You can’t rush certain steps, and even small adjustments can make a big difference in the final result.

Those are all skills I use in my role as an Account Manager at Devise. Whether I’m managing timelines, coordinating projects, balancing competing priorities, or making sure the details don’t get overlooked, the same principles apply.

Baking has also taught me not to get discouraged when something doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes the cookies burn, the icing drips, or a recipe just doesn’t turn out the way you expected. You learn from it, make adjustments, and try again.

So, while baking is one of my favorite hobbies, it’s also a reminder that getting better at anything takes practice, patience, and a willingness to learn along the way. And if all else fails, there’s usually another batch of cookies to try.

Hopefully, this one doesn’t burn!