There are five basic types of cookies-bar, drop, refrigerated, rolled, and shaped. This is the time of year we especially like to bake cookies. A little cookie know-how can mean successful cookies every time, whichever type you're baking, and whatever recipe you're using. So here's some cookie know-how for the best cookies ever:

1. Refrigerated cookie dough lasts up to two weeks in the refrigerator or up to six weeks in the freezer. Do yourself a favor and be sure to label the dough with baking information and the date you mixed it.
2. If your recipe calls for butter or cream cheese, plan ahead to remove these ingredients from the refrigerator well before mixing so they can soften to room temperature.
3. This is important for eggs as well. I won't bother you with the science, but cookies and cakes come out better when room-temperature eggs were incorporated into the ingredients (rather than cold-fresh from the refrigerator).
4. For even baking and browning, place cookies at the center of the oven. If the heat distribution in your oven is uneven, turn the baking sheet halfway through the baking time.
5. And use an oven thermometer to test your oven temperature. Most ovens often run 10 to 15 degrees hot or cold. My oven is 13 degrees too hot, so adjusting my temperature has made a huge difference in my baking results. (I used to blame the recipe.)
6. When baking more than one sheet of cookies at a time, rotate them from the top rack to the bottom rack halfway through the baking time
7. When reusing the same baking sheets for several batches, cool the sheets completely before placing dough on them. Dough will soften and begin to spread on a hot sheet.
8. Because of their lack of density, it's easy to overbake cookies, so check them at the minimum baking time, and watch closely.
9. Consider using parchment paper instead of greasing your baking sheets. I've found the results are better and who doesn't like easier clean-up using parchment paper provides?
10. Finally, save frozen juice or soup cans, rinse them and fill with your favorite cookie doughs. Cover the tops with plastic (rubber-banded to protect from freezer burn), label with recipe name, baking instructions, and date, and keep in the freezer. Just cut the bottom off the can, use it to push the dough up, and slice as you go! Putting this little tip to work means you'll always have your favorite cookies on hand when you need or want them.