A Guide to Measuring Sticky Baking Ingredients: Molasses and Peanut Butter Tips

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Measuring sticky baking ingredients can be quite challenging, primarily due to the mess they create and the potential for inaccuracies. Anyone who has attempted to retrieve every bit of peanut butter for a cookie recipe or pour molasses for gingerbread knows that these substances tend to cling stubbornly to measuring cups and spoons. This can result in not only an incomplete mixture but also a tangle of dirty kitchenware waiting to be cleaned.

Luckily, a bit of preparation can prevent sticky complications. Below are effective strategies for measuring sticky ingredients with ease.

Three techniques for measuring sticky ingredients

The method you choose for measuring sticky ingredients may vary based on your recipe and personal preferences. Here are three practical techniques to consider.

Oil the measuring cup

A simple way to facilitate easier measuring of thick ingredients like peanut butter or honey is to apply a thin layer of neutral cooking oil (such as canola or vegetable oil) to the measuring cup’s interior before use. This light coating reduces adhesion, allowing the ingredient to slip out smoothly.

To do this, pour a small amount of oil into the measuring cup or spoon and rotate it so that the oil evenly coats the interior. If necessary, add more oil to ensure full coverage. Once prepared, use this oiled vessel to measure your sticky ingredient, and you will find it comes out effortlessly.

Alternatively, a nonstick spray can serve as a substitute for oil. Amanda Perdomo, the executive pastry chef at Kellogg’s Diner in Brooklyn, recommends using a product like Pam for this purpose.

Modify your sequence of measuring

Another approach may be to adjust your measuring order based on the recipe.

For example, if you’re making a pumpkin layer cake that calls for both canola oil and pumpkin purée, start by measuring the oil into a clean cup. You can then use the same cup to measure the pumpkin purée without washing it, as the greased interior will help the purée to slide out easily.

Consider measuring by weight

If using oil or adjusting your measuring order feels cumbersome, there’s an alternative inspired by professional chefs: weighing all ingredients instead of using volume measurements.

This method requires just a kitchen scale, a reliable spatula, and a wide mixing bowl. Here’s how to proceed:

Place a clean, wide bowl on the scale and hit the “tare” button so the display reads zero. Next, pour or scoop the sticky ingredient into the bowl. Finally, use the spatula to transfer all contents to your mixing bowl, ensuring that nothing is left behind.

This method is favored by professionals for its accuracy; it allows for complete retrieval of sticky ingredients from a bowl, unlike potentially inaccurate volume measures from cups. Moreover, precision is vital in baking, where even slight variations in ingredient quantities can alter the texture, appearance, and flavor of your final dish.

Jane Bayle, a pastry chef based in Park City, Utah, emphasizes the importance of weight measurement, cautioning against the use of cups and spoons for their inherent inaccuracies. For those who value precision in baking, adopting weight-based measurement methods may be the best course of action.

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