All-purpose Flour:
Also called white or original flour.

Baking Powder:
Helps cakes and cookies rise (but it's not the same as baking soda).

Baking Soda:
Helps cakes and cookies rise.

Beat:
Using a mixer or whisk, stir rapidly until ingredients are well mixed.

Brown Sugar:
Brown sugar is made from refined sugar and molasses. Make sure your brown sugar is soft so that it can be firmly packed into a dry measuring cup.

Butter:
Let your butter stand at room temperature for several hours to soften. Always use unsalted butter for recipes.

Chill:
To cool in the refrigerator.

Cool:
To allow warm/hot baked goods to sit at room temperature.

Eggs:
For best results use large eggs – most recipes are developed using them.

Fold:
Use a spatula to gently mix ingredients together by cutting down the bottom of the bowl with the spatula, sliding it under the mixture and bringing it back up. Repeat.

Icing Sugar:
Also called confectioners' sugar or powdered sugar.

Preheat Oven:
Set oven to indicated temperature before baking.

White Sugar:
Also called granulated sugar.

1. Place your dough on a clean, well-floured surface. The flour prevents the dough from sticking.
2. Lightly dust your rolling pin with flour.
3. As you roll, dust the rolling pin with more flour if necessary.
4. Once the dough is the thickness you want, cut out cookies with a cookie cutter (dipped in flour) and place them on a prepared baking sheet.
5. Combine together leftover dough scraps, roll again and repeat until all the dough is used.

1. When you place your cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leave lots of room between them because they expand as they bake.
2. Set one baking sheet at a time in the middle of a preheated oven. Cookies bake more evenly if there is only one baking sheet in the oven at a time.
3. Bake cookies for the minimum time suggested then test them to see if they're done.
4. Cookies are ready when the dough is no longer soft and the edges of the cookies are golden brown.

1. When baking muffins or cupcakes, place your pan in the middle rack of a preheated oven.
2. Bake for the minimum time suggested, and then test them to see if they're done.
3. They are ready when you can insert a toothpick into the middle of one and it comes out clean and dry.

1. Always wear oven mitts when removing baked goods from the oven.
2. Place baking sheets or pans on a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes.
3. After 5 minutes, remove baked goods from the baking sheet or pan and place them back on the rack to cool further.
4. Let them completely cool before eating or decorating.