Nine Baking Tips and Tricks for the Holiday Season

Many cake and cupcake recipes call for butter blended with sugar until creamy and fluffy. Letting butter and other cold ingredients, including eggs, come to room temperature first helps it blend more smoothly into the batter and reduces the risk of overmixing.

To cream fat and sugar without waiting too long, cut butter or shortening into small cubes and let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. They'll be ready to cream right when you are.

If your usual pans are in use, a few handy swaps can help: one 9x5-inch loaf pan equals three 5-3/4x3x2-inch loaf pans; one 8x4-inch loaf pan equals two of the small loaf pans; one 9-inch round pan equals one 8-inch square dish; two 9-inch round pans equal one 13x9-inch pan; one 10-inch Bundt pan equals one 10-inch tube pan or two 9x5-inch loaf pans; one 13x9-inch pan equals two 9-inch round pans or two 8-inch square pans; and a regular 12-cup muffin pan equals a 36-cup mini muffin pan.

For lofty meringues and cohesive batters, room-temperature eggs work best unless a recipe says otherwise. Warm them quickly by setting them in a bowl of warm, not boiling, water for a few minutes.

Lightly brush the top crust with water or egg, then sprinkle with raw sanding sugar or turbinado sugar for an extra-crispy, caramelized crust.

Most cookie dough keeps in the refrigerator for three to five days, so prepare it ahead and label it with the date. Cutout cookie dough can be shaped into rounds or rolls and wrapped in plastic, while drop-cookie dough can be pre-portioned and frozen in an airtight container.

Revive overbaked or slightly dry cookies by placing a slice of bread in the cookie jar for a few hours. The bread adds moisture back without making the cookies soggy.

For flawless cuts on cakes, pies, cheesecakes, and bars, dip a knife in hot water, dry it, and use it to slice. Clean and rewarm the knife often for the cleanest results.