In the world of baking, cookies might just be the ultimate comfort food. They’re beloved by all ages, easy to make, and even better when served with a cold glass of milk. “I never met a homemade cookie I didn’t like,” Ree Drummond says.

It’s no wonder The Pioneer Woman has tons of popular cookie recipes in every shape and form. Whether it’s thumbprints, cut-out cookies, slice-and-bakes, or even sandwich cookies, Ree has shared so many different types of cookies over the years. And her love for cookies doesn’t just stop at classic bake sale treats. She also whips up cookie bars, shortcut cookies, and, of course, Christmas cookies for the most festive cookie baking season of all. “I love making Christmas cookies, and usually do it on a day when I’m making an assortment for cookie platters,” she says.

And while each and every cookie may differ depending on the recipe, The Pioneer Woman has some foolproof cookie baking tips to ensure they come out just right every time. So, what’s her secret to making the perfect cookies? Read on to find out more.

Add Instant Coffee

“I like to add a teaspoon or two of instant coffee or espresso granules to my dry ingredients,” Ree explains, “The cookies don’t wind up with a strong coffee flavor, they’re just a little bit richer and more delicious.” This trick is often used for other chocolate desserts like chocolate cakes or boxed brownie mix. That’s because the coffee helps to bring out the chocolaty flavor without necessarily making it taste like coffee.

Brown Your Butter

“Whether it’s oatmeal cookies, sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, or chocolate chip cookies, subbing browned butter for all or some of the butter in whatever recipe you use will catapult your cookie into another dimension,” Ree says. (Take her browned butter M&M cookies, for example.) To make browned butter, simply melt your stick of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, sizzling, and slightly foamy, start to gently swirl the butter around the pan until it reaches a deep golden-brown color. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn! Then, pour the browned butter into a bowl and allow to cool completely. “If you pour warm butter into the dough, your life will spiral into a series of unfortunate events, and you’ll live to regret it,” Ree says.

Upgrade Your Chips

There’s nothing wrong with a bag of chocolate chips when making cookies, especially when you’re in a pinch, but when she has the time, Ree much prefers using chocolate chunks. “I try to chop up good semisweet chocolate bars rather than use chocolate chips,” she says, “They melt so much better and stay nice and silky after the cookies cool.” Think: puddle-like pockets of melted chocolate goodness. “You’ve gotta trust me on this,” she says.

Invest in a Mixer

When you’re tasked with creaming butter and sugar together for homemade cookies, nothing does it quite like a handy dandy stand mixer. Sure, it’s an investment piece that might take up space on your kitchen counter, but a mixer will save you both time and energy when mixing up cookie dough. Ree uses the paddle attachment for the best results. “You can also do it by hand if you have the upper body strength, which I absolutely do not,” she jokes. “I wonder if that’s due to the fact that I always use a mixer?”

Use a Cookie Scoop

For evenly sized cookies that look like they came straight out of The Mercantile bakery, use a cookie scoop or “disher.” While this isn’t a necessary step (you can always use a spoon), having a cookie scoop in your arsenal of kitchen tools will help make baking large batches of cookies easy. Not only will your cookies have a more uniform appearance, but you’ll also be able to scoop up every drop of dough from the bowl. It’s no wonder Ree has a Floral Cookie Scoop & Dropper in her Pioneer Woman collection!

Roll Out Your Dough

If you’re making cut-out cookies, Ree recommends rolling out the dough on a floured surface from the center outward to the suggested thickness. Just keep in mind: “Don’t roll it out too thin or the finished cookie will be too hard and crisp,” as she says. “I like to keep them on the thick side.” Try to roll out the dough as evenly as possible, then use your favorite cookie cutters in fun shapes depending on the season!

Or Try Slice-And-Bake Cookies

“Most of your cookie dough recipes can be spooned onto plastic wrap or waxed paper, rolled tight, then refrigerated and used as you need it,” Ree says. “I love the approach because you can just slice off as many cookies as you need and they bake up really neat and tidy. And in most cases, you can freeze the rolls of dough if they’re wrapped/protected enough.” Try it with Ree’s loaded holiday slice-and-bake cookies or her oatmeal-cherry slice-and-bake cookies.

Prep Your Cookie Sheet

“Great bakeware is an essential for any home cook,” says Ree, but preparing your cookie sheet the right way is essential to a perfectly baked cookie. Greasing your cookie sheet can cause your cookies to become too dark and burned around the edges. On the other hand, you can line your pan with either parchment paper or a nonstick mat—both will prevent your cookies from sticking or spreading too much.

Have Fun With Decorating

Decorating cookies is one of the best ways to take your treats to a whole new level—plus, it’s a fun activity to do with the kids! The key is to keep things simple. “Don’t take yourself too seriously,” Ree says, “just have fun with it.” You can choose from decorating with icing, sprinkles, or even candy and you can get as creative as you want. “I’m from the 1970’s school of cookie decorating,” Ree further explains, “Bake them. Slap some icing on them. Throw some sprinkles in their general direction and hope not too many wind up on the floor.”

Use Ree’s Favorite Tool

This might come as a surprise, but one of Ree’s favorite kitchen tools when making cookies is actually a fish spatula. Yes, you read that right! “The edge is so thin, you can slide it under cookies like no one’s business,” she explains. That means you don’t have to deal with stuck edges or delicate cookies that fall apart. Simply use the fish spatula to remove the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling rack and it’ll become your new favorite tool, too!