Make It Double! Tips for Making Double Batches of Muffins, Cookies & Breads
This is not the time of year for holding back. If I’m making a batch of cookies, I’m going to double it so I have enough to send to Mom, take to a weekend potluck, and still have some leftover for my own cookie cravings. If you’re of the same mind, check out these handy tips for doubling our favorite recipes.
• Cakes, Muffins, and Other Quick Breads: These baked goods are the main offenders when it comes to unsuccessful doubling. And the culprit is usually the baking soda and baking powder. You can double all the other ingredients, but re-calculate the baking soda and baking powder based on this ratio:
→ 1 – 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder per cup of all-purpose flour
OR
→ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup of all-purpose flour
When both baking powder and soda are called for in a recipe, it’s usually because there is an acidic ingredient in the the recipe. Some of the baking soda or powder goes toward neutralizing the acidity, so you need a little extra to make sure your cake or muffin still rises. If your recipe contains an acidic ingredient like yogurt or buttermilk, include an extra 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of an acidic ingredient.
• Cookies and Bars: These recipes can usually be doubled without much problem. If you’re aiming for puffy, cake-like cookies, keep an eye on the baking soda and baking powder ratios as described above. I’d also suggest refrigerating the cookie dough between batches so the dough doesn’t become too soft in the hot kitchen; this can cause cookies to spread more than usual while baking.
• Breads and Rolls: Yeast is a much more forgiving ingredient than baking soda and baking powder! Yeast-risen breads and rolls can be doubled without needing to adjust any of the quantities. If you’re tripling or quadrupling, however, I’d recommend weighing your ingredients rather than measuring them by volume to make sure the ratios stay consistent.
If you’re going the other way and looking to cut these recipes in half, the same general principles apply. Check the ratios of baking powder and soda, but halving the other ingredients should give you great results.
What tips do you have for doubling recipes for baked goods?
(Image: Chewy Molasses Cookies/Faith Durand)