KitchenAid stand mixers are one of the most versatile and helpful tools for a busy kitchen. If you make big batches of cookies for the holiday season, or just for fun any time of the year, stand mixers can be a huge help.
Never scrape the sides of the bowl again! I recommend the flexible edge beater for KitchenAid attachment at Amazon:
But you need to know the right attachments to use with your KitchenAid mixer for your unique cookie needs. Below are three of the best attachments you can buy for cookie making. Find out which ones work for you and get baking!
| Best KitchenAid Attachment for Cookies | What It Does |
|---|---|
| 1. Pour Shield | pour shield attaches to top of mixing bowl, preventing loose, lightweight ingredients like flour or powdered sugar from spilling on your countertops as you add them to your bowl |
| 2. Flex Edge Beater | the coated metal flex edge beater's flexible "scraper" edge incorporates ingredients more quickly and efficient, especially those that usually tend to stick to the bowl |
| 3. Paddle/Flat Beater | the flat beater is best for cookie dough because it's too heavy for the whisk attachment, but too light for the dough hook |
| 4. KitchenAid KSM155GBSA 5-Qt. Artisan Design Series with Glass Bowl | with over 15 attachments, can make up to 9 dozen cookies in a single batch |
Pour Shield
For cookies baked from scratch, the KitchenAid pour shield is a must-have. It a plastic apparatus that fits perfectly onto the top of your mixing bowl. It makes adding loose, lightweight ingredients easier than ever before.
Head to Amazon and enter your model number to see which pour shield will fit your mixer.
No more giant dust clouds from flour or powdered sugar, leaving you with a bigger mess than just the dishes. The pour shield basically acts as a barrier between the ingredients and your countertops. It’s also dishwasher safe – a major plus for extra cleaning ease.
Did you know KitchenAid makes an ice cream bowl attachment? Neither did I!
Flexible Edge Beater
Step up your flat beater by investing in a flex edge beater instead (or additionally!). One of the primary complaints of flat beater users was that you had to use a separate scraper to get all the ingredients on the sides of the bowl into the mixture. The flex edge beater addresses this issue.
This attachment is a coated metal beater with a flexible “scraper” edge. It has the same efficient mixing capabilities of the flat beater with the added benefit of faster and more thorough incorporation of all ingredients, even ones that tend to get stuck on the sides of the bowl. When not attached to the mixer, it also acts as a great tool for pouring the final dough onto its baking sheet.
The flex edge is great for normal to heavy mixes, and perfect for cookie dough. If the recipe tells you to beat, mix, or cream your ingredients (like many cookie dough recipes do), this attachment is what you need. It can be used on all speed settings, it’s dishwasher safe, and will be your easiest, most effective cookie baking attachment for your stand mixer.
Paddle/Flat Beater
The regular paddle or flat beater usually comes with your stand mixer, along with a whisk and a dough hook. If your model didn’t come with these attachments, they are available separately. You’ll want to invest in the flat beater.
The flat beater is best for cookies. Cookie dough is relatively lightweight and doesn’t need the kneading power of the dough hook. But it’s still too heavy for the whisk attachment. This should be your go-to for any kind of cookie baking.
The flat beater thoroughly and efficiently whips up your cookie dough into a completely homogeneous mixture in no time. It does the hard work for you, mixing all ingredients together into a perfectly even dough ready for spooning onto the cookie sheet.
Why Use Your KitchenAid Mixer?
KitchenAid stand mixers basically act as a second set of hands for busy bakers. With their superior mixing power and fast speeds, they can help you make more than you ever could on your own, in a fraction of the time.
They’re also a great help for anyone who loves to bake and cook but doesn’t have the strength to mix the ingredients due to hand, wrist, or arm issues like arthritis or a sprain. KitchenAid mixers are must-have kitchen tools for cooks and bakers of any level because of their uniquely diverse capabilities – everything from cookies to meat to veggies!
My favorite KitchenAid mixer — the Glass Bowl Artisan Series
Using the attachments outlined above with your KitchenAid mixer can really step up your cookie baking game. Whether you’re a new baker or a seasoned pro, try out these attachments and see a huge improvement in your cookie baking process!
Now that you’ve got the right attachments, get the right bowls too. Here are my favorite mixing bowls for baking.
Ice cream scoops aren’t just for ice cream. Here’s my list of 6 scoops that will have you baking like a pro.
Additional Resources
- Alton Brown’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Slate – You’re Doing It Wrong – Chocolate Chip Cookies
Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: Avocados and Brian R.
