Cake Flour For Cookies: Our Tips for Best Cookies

Last Updated on February 13, 2023

From chocolate chip to sugar, you can’t beat freshly baked cookies. There are many different recipes and variations when it comes to making cookies. One variation involves using cake flour for cookies.

This simple hack will result in some truly delicious cookies. However, cake flour doesn’t work for every cookie recipe, as it does change the texture. With the right knowledge and recipe, you can make some tasty cookies using cake flour.

Can You Use Cake Flour For Cookies?

Using cake flour for cookies gives them a softer, more delicate texture. They will have a cake-like texture and also be chewier as well.

Most cookie recipes opt to use all-purpose flour. It is a versatile flour that provides a good base for all different kinds of cookies. All-purpose flour not only provides texture but also contributes to the flavor as well.

Cake flour is often used in vanilla and yellow cake recipes. In addition, it is also great to use for angel food, genoise, and sponge cakes. It provides cake with a lovely, tender texture and delicious flavor.

Some people also use it for muffins and scones as well. It is a great option to use when your goal is to have a tender baked good. Cake flour provides a fine, close crumb.

Cake flour can be used in different cookie recipes such as chocolate chip or sugar. It provides a tender, fluffy finish compared to all-purpose flour.

Pastry Flour For Cookies vs All-Purpose Flour

Cake flour and all-purpose flour are similar as they are both made from wheat flour. However, they are milled differently for different purposes.

All-purpose flour is milled for many different foods such as pasta, cookies, donuts, pizza dough, muffins, bread, cake, and much more, and has a protein content of 10-13%, and since it has a lower protein content, it provides less gluten. In return, this leads to a tender, more delicate texture as the gluten is weaker. In addition, a chlorination process works to also break down cake flour’s gluten.

Cake flour, on the other hand, is milled to be specifically used for cakes and is made from soft winter wheat that has been very finely milled. It has the lowest protein content in flour, at 7-9%.

Cake Flour in Cookies Recipes

There are many different types of cookies out there, each as delicious as the next. The majority of cookie recipes will call for all-purpose flour. However, there are cookie recipes out there that do use cake flour.

The most popular cookie recipe to uses cake flour is chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are versatile, as they can be chewy, crispy, cakey, and tender. By using cake flour in a chocolate chip cookie recipe, you will achieve a thicker cookie with a nice cake-like, tender consistency.

Sugar cookies are another types of cookie that can vary largely in texture. They can be soft, cakey, chewy, and even crispy. Cake flour can be a great option to use for your sugar cookies in place of all-purpose flour. The consistency will be thicker and fluffier than normal sugar cookies.

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Cake flour is also great to use for chocolate crinkle cookies. They have a fudgy, gooey texture similar to brownies. Using cake flour provides a soft, thick texture.

Making Your Own Cake Flour

Cake flour can be found at most grocery stores. It is generally readily available, so you shouldn’t have too hard of a time finding it.

However, if you can’t find any or are in a pinch, you can make your own substitute. All you need is all-purpose flour and cornstarch, along with some common kitchen utensils.

To make your own cake flour, measure out one cup of all-purpose flour and then remove two tablespoons from it. Then, add two tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour. Adding cornstarch is key to getting a tender texture.

Cornstarch is very fine, finer than all-purpose flour. In addition, it has a lower gluten content than flour.

After mixing your flour and cornstarch, use a sifter to sift the mixture two times. Running the mixture through the sifter twice, helps aerate the mix, lighting it up. This is important to achieving a finer product in your baked goods.

Best Flour For Cookies

When it comes to baking, there are many flours you can choose to use. However, some flours are better suited for baking cookies. Let’s take a closer look at the most popular flours and their uses.

• Cake Flour – most commonly used for cakes (angel food cake, pound cake, etc.), muffins, and cookies.
• Self Rising Flour – most commonly used for pancakes and biscuits.
• White Whole Wheat Flour and Whole Wheat Flour – most commonly used for bread, cookies, pancakes, and pasta.
• All Purpose Flour – most commonly used for most baked goods (cakes, cookies, bread, muffins, biscuits, etc.)
• Bread Flour – most commonly used for bread, pizza, and pretzels.
• Pastry Flour – is most commonly used for muffins, cakes, and pie crusts.
• Almond Flour – is most commonly used for cookies, biscuits, and pancakes.
• Gluten-Free Flour – is most commonly used for cookies, muffins, cakes, and bread.

Cake Flour vs All-Purpose Flour For Cookies

You may be wondering whether to use cake flour or all-purpose flour for your cookies. If you’re looking for a softer, fluffier cookie, cake flour is the way to go. The cookies won’t be chewy and thick, so if you like your cookies this way, it’s best to stick with all-purpose flour.

Also, the use of cake flour will alter the color you’re used to. They likely will be pale in color, and may not crisp up as you’d like them to. However, if this is what you’re looking to avoid, cake flour is the best option.

Cake flour has a much lower percentage of protein than all-purpose flour, which means that not as much gluten is in your cookies. The less gluten is made, the more tender your cookies are!

Cookie Recipe Using Cake Flour

You may be wondering how to make cookies using cake flour. To make these cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of cake flour
• 1/2 cup of cubed butter
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups of milk chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Now all you need to do is:

1. Gather all of the ingredients you need for this recipe and preheat your oven to 400F. You’ll also need to line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, add the following ingredients: both types of flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well and leave to one side.
3. Add your cubes of butter to a mixer and beat well on a medium setting. After around 30 seconds, add the brown sugar, and then the white sugar; mixing as you go.
4. Once your butter mixture is fluffy, add your egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
5. Slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients to your butter mixture. Once completely combined, fold in your chocolate chips.
6. Shape your cookies into slightly flattened balls and drop them onto your prepared baking sheet. Place in the center of your preheated oven for around 10-12 minutes.
7. Remove cookies from the oven and leave to cool before serving. Serve and enjoy!

Making Delicious Cookies With Cake Flour

Though cake flour is designed specifically to use for baking cakes, it also makes yummy cookies. They will have a delicate, tender texture that is irresistible. Though it will not work for all recipes, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and chocolate crinkle cookies can all be made with cake flour.

Do you have any questions about using cake flour for cookies? If so, please ask your questions in the comments down below.