Small, Medium, or Large? The Ultimate Guide to Cookie Scoop Sizes

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Cookie scoops are a baker’s best friend. They make it easy to quickly and accurately scoop the same size of cookie dough, saving time and effort and creating perfectly even cookies every time. From bite-sized cookies to giant cookies, cookie scoops can help you get the job done. Plus, with different sizes available, you’ll always be able to find the perfect tool for your baking needs.

Why should you use a stainless steel cookie scoop?

When it comes to baking perfect cookies, having the right tools is essential. A stainless steel cookie scoop set is one of the most useful tools you can have in your kitchen. Here are a few reasons why:

• It allows you to easily portion out the dough into uniform pieces, so your cookies all turn out evenly sized.
• Cookie scoops make quick work of forming and portioning out dough, saving you time and energy in the kitchen.
• Stainless steel cookie scoops have sturdy construction that ensures that they won’t bend or break when scooping even the stiffest cookie dough.
• Since they’re made from stainless steel, they’re easy to clean and sanitize.

“I love cookie scoops for consistency. Not just in the same size, but for bake time and yield. When I use a scoop, I know that my cookies will be the perfect level of done at the same time, every time, for every cookie. I also know I’ll always get exactly 20 cookies from my favorite recipe.” 

— Renee Gardner, https://reneenicoleskitchen.com/

What are the different sizes of cookie scoops? 

Cookie scoops come in a variety of sizes, allowing you to bake beautiful cookies from big to small. 

Because cookie dough scoops are simply ice cream scoops, the scoop numbers are based on the number of scoops you can get from a quart. Home bakers may not find the numbers useful, but the higher the number, the smaller the scoop. 

What is the standard cookie scoop size? When buying scoops, each brand has different sizes, so for cookies, look for the number of teaspoons or tablespoons the scoop holds.

#100 scoop 

Small 1-inch scoop:  Holds 1 teaspoon. Use these for making bite-sized cookies or truffles, as a melon baller, or fill a deviled egg. 

#60 scoop

Medium 1 1/2 inch scoop: Holds 1 tablespoon. Ideal for classic chocolate chip cookies and mini cupcakes.

#20 scoop

Large 2 ¾ inch scoop: Holds 4 tablespoons or ¼ cup. Use this scoop for giant cookies, as an ice cream scooper or to fill cupcake pans with batter.

How to use a cookie scoop

It’s not hard using a cookie scoop, but there are a few tricks to get the scooper filled properly.

1. Start by prepping your dough. Chill it in the fridge for at least an hour before scooping, and make sure it’s soft enough to scoop easily, but not so soft that it’s sticky.
2. Choose the right size of cookie scoop for your recipe and fill it with dough.
3. Using the scoop, scoop down into the dough, overfilling it. Use the side of the mixing bowl to scrape off the excess, or use a bench scraper to remove the excess dough.
4. Firmly press the handle down until it pushes out all the dough. If the dough starts sticking, lightly dip the scoop into flour or sugar first.
5. Place the cookies onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving enough space between them so they don’t run into one another while baking.
6. Bake according to the recipe directions, and enjoy your perfectly portioned cookies.

What else can you use cookie scoops for?

Even though we call these cookie scoops, they are the perfect tool for other foods. 

• Ice Cream Balls — use these scoops to perfectly fill an ice cream cone, to make frozen bite desserts. 
• Use a large cookie scoop for muffins or cupcake batter to fill the pans.
• Make your pancakes all the same size using a cookie scoop.
• Turn your cookie scoop into a melon baller.
• Use a medium scoop for perfectly proportioned meatballs.
• Proportion foods like salmon patties, potato cakes, or arepas.  
• If you like making truffles, a cookie scoop will make the perfect size.
• Use the large scoop for portioning out chicken or tuna salad for sandwiches.
• Make a nice round scoop of mashed potatoes or rice.

“I like to use a cookie scoop for cookies so they look uniform and for consistent bake times. I also love to use a cookie scoop for other things like making meatballs or matzoh balls.” 

— Robin Donovan, All Ways Delicious

Using cookie scoops for baking cookies and other foods is a great way to achieve consistent results and save time in the kitchen. The scoops come in different sizes so you can pick the ones that are perfect for your baking and cooking needs.

This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life