Baking Bliss

Baking FAQ: 10 Questions I Get Asked All The Time (Finally Answered)

Emma ChenBy Emma Chen
Techniques

(Grab a cup of tea — this is gonna be a longer one, but I think we need to talk about these.)

I get a lot of questions in the comments, in my DMs, and honestly from friends who know I run a baking blog. Some come up so often that I figured it was time to sit down and answer them properly in one place.

So here we go — ten things people ask me constantly, answered honestly, with the details you actually need.

1. "Do I really need a kitchen scale? I have measuring cups."

Short answer: YES. You really do.

Here's the thing — baking is chemistry. And chemistry requires precision. When you scoop flour with a measuring cup, the amount you're actually getting can vary by 20-30% depending on how packed it is, how humid your kitchen is, whether you sifted first... I could go on.

A $15 digital scale eliminates that guesswork completely. 250 grams is 250 grams, every single time. And honestly? It makes baking LESS stressful, not more. No more wondering if your dough is too dry because you accidentally used too much flour.

My pick: Any basic digital scale that measures in grams. Doesn't need to be fancy. I've been using the same $12 Amazon Basics scale for three years.

2. "I followed the recipe exactly and it still didn't work. What went wrong?"

Okay, first — I feel you. This is SO frustrating. But "exactly" usually isn't as exact as we think.

Here are the most common culprits:
  • Oven temperature is off — Most home ovens run 25-50 degrees off from what the dial says. Get an oven thermometer. They're $8.
  • Ingredient temperature was wrong — "Room temperature butter" doesn't mean "straight from the fridge 20 minutes ago." It means actually soft but not melted.
  • Substitution you didn't think counted — Margarine instead of butter, baking soda instead of powder, different flour types. These matter.
  • Altitude/humidity — I bake in Vancouver (humid!), and I have to adjust for that. Your climate affects your bakes.

If you're genuinely stumped, comment on the post or DM me. Tell me WHAT happened (flat cookies? dense cake? didn't rise?) and I can usually diagnose it.

3. "Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?"

Yes, BUT — you need to adjust. Salted butter contains about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per stick (1/2 cup). So if a recipe calls for unsalted butter plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, and you use salted butter, either skip the added salt or reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon.

I always use unsalted because it gives me control. But if salted is what you have, just do the math and adjust.

4. "What's the difference between bread flour and all-purpose? Can I substitute?"

Bread flour has more protein (12-14% vs 10-12%), which means more gluten development, which means chewier texture. You can substitute all-purpose for bread flour in a pinch, but your bread will be less chewy and slightly more tender.

For cookies, I actually PREFER bread flour — gives you that perfect chewy center. For cakes, stick with all-purpose (cake flour is even better for tender cakes, but that's another FAQ).

Rule of thumb: If the recipe specifies a flour type, there's a reason. Substitute knowing the texture will change.

5. "How do I know when my sourdough starter is ready to use?"

Your starter is ready when it:
  • Doubles in size within 4-6 hours of feeding
  • Has lots of bubbles throughout (not just on top)
  • Passes the "float test" — drop a small spoonful in water, it should float
  • Smells pleasant and yeasty (not like acetone or vomit — if it does, feed it more often)

If your starter isn't doing these things yet, keep feeding it twice daily and be patient. Starters are alive — they have their own timeline. Some take a week, some take three. The wait is worth it.

6. "Why do you always say to chill cookie dough? I want cookies NOW."

I know. I KNOW. The wait is torture. But here's why it matters:

Chilling firms up the butter, which means your cookies spread less in the oven. It also lets the flour hydrate fully (dry flour absorbing moisture from the wet ingredients), which improves texture. And — this is the big one — it gives time for the flavors to meld. A chilled dough tastes noticeably better.

Minimum chill: 30 minutes (better than nothing)
Sweet spot: 2-4 hours
Game changer: Overnight

I make dough on Saturday, bake on Sunday. Worth planning ahead.

7. "What's the deal with 'room temperature' ingredients? Does it actually matter?"

YES. It matters so much. Here's why:

Room temperature butter (65-68°F): Creams properly with sugar, creating air pockets that leaven your bake. Cold butter won't cream. Melted butter won't hold air. Room temp is that perfect middle where the butter is soft but still structured.

Room temperature eggs: Incorporate into batters more smoothly without curdling or breaking the emulsion. Cold eggs can make batter seize up or look curdled.

Room temperature dairy (milk, buttermilk, yogurt): Won't harden the butter when added. Cold milk + creamed butter = little butter lumps in your batter.

Quick fix: Put cold eggs in warm water for 5 minutes. Cut cold butter into small pieces and microwave on 50% power for 10-15 seconds.

8. "Can I freeze this dough/baked goods?"

Usually yes! Here's what works:

Freezes beautifully:
  • Cookie dough (scoop into balls, freeze on tray, then bag)
  • Most breads and rolls (wrap well, thaw at room temp)
  • Cakes (unfrosted layers freeze great)
  • Scones and biscuits (freeze unbaked, bake from frozen, add 2-3 minutes)
  • Pie dough

Don't freeze (texture suffers):
  • Custards and cream pies
  • Merengue-topped anything
  • Fried doughs (donuts, fritters)
  • Cream cheese frosting (gets weird)

Always label with the date. Most frozen baked goods are best within 3 months.

9. "I'm new to baking. Where should I start?"

Pick ONE recipe and make it until you nail it. Seriously.

Don't jump around making 12 different things poorly. Pick something simple — chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, a basic sourdough — and make it five times. You'll learn SO much more from repeating a recipe and noticing what changes than from making 12 things once each.

My recommended starter recipes:
  • Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies — teaches browning butter, chilling dough, texture control
  • Simple Sourdough Boule — teaches fermentation, shaping, scoring
  • Classic Banana Bread — teaches mixing methods, doneness testing, substitutions

Master one. Then move on.

10. "Do you really test every recipe three times?"

Minimum three. Often more.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I have a physical notebook filled with test results. Recipe #1 is usually a baseline. Recipe #2 is where I start tweaking (more salt? longer chill? different flour?). Recipe #3 is the refinement. Sometimes there are recipes #4, #5, #6...

The brown butter cookies? Seven attempts. The croissants I'm working on? Attempt #4 is happening this weekend and the lamination still isn't right.

I do this because YOU deserve recipes that work. Nothing goes on the blog until I'm confident it'll work in your kitchen too.

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Got a question I didn't answer here? Drop it in the comments. I read every single one, and if enough people are wondering the same thing, it might become FAQ part two.

Now go bake something.

—Emma