Any ideas/suggestions?

[pomtzu]

There must be an easy (relatively anyway) way to mix stiff cookie dough - other than going out and buying a heavy duty electric mixer like a KitchenAid. I mixed up 4 batches of the dough this morning - by hand of course - 2 choco chip and 2 peanut butter to put in the freezer and then bake next week. It took me well over twice the time I used to be able to do it in, simply because these hands and arms just don't work very efficiently any longer, and they are mostly numb a great deal of the time too. But I managed to get it done - even tho now my arms and hands are so sore that they feel like I've been lifting weights. The weights would have been easier, I think.

So - any helpful tips will be welcome. The only thing I can think of, is to let somebody else do the mixing. Store bought IS NOT an option.

[Lady's Human]

Bribery? (there might be someone in the neighborhood who'd help for a cut of the results...)

Other than that or a heavy duty mixer, can't think of anything at the moment. There are other brands of stand mixers that are less expensive, but I don't know how well they'd work.

Mixing heavy dough can be a pain, and there aren't that many ways around it that I can think of.

[Vette]

I was about to say what you said at the bottom: "let someone else do the mixing." my dad gets my brother or i to help him stir a batch of fudge when his back an shoulders have had enough of the stirring.

maybe you could try microwaving the dough for 20secs or so so that its not quite so stiff? its what i do when ice cream that has became a solid brick in its container in the freezer an it sure helps a LOT. but thats ice cream. but i cant think of easier methods of mixing dough. it can be a pain thats for sure. my mom an i have found that out the hard way LOL

[Karen]

Do you have a hand-held mixer? Might that help? Better than mixing by hand, and even though it is not as sturdy as a stand mixer, it is less arduous than mixing by hand! I either make cookies in my food processor or with the hand-held mixer, it is a little more work than a stand mixer, but not much!

[pomtzu]

Do you have a hand-held mixer? Might that help? Better than mixing by hand, and even though it is not as sturdy as a stand mixer, it is less arduous than mixing by hand! I either make cookies in my food processor or with the hand-held mixer, it is a little more work than a stand mixer, but not much!

I have a couple of hand held mixers, but they aren't strong enough in power to mix a stiff cookie dough, and my food processor bowl is about 1/3 the size I would need for a full batch of dough.

I'm thinking of using my last resort - my grandson. Hey - if he can eat them, then he can mix that dough. No mixy - no eaty.

[Karen]

I'm thinking of using my last resort - my grandson. Hey - if he can eat them, then he can mix that dough. No mixy - no eaty.

Sounds perfect! Easier than the math to divide a recipe in three to do separate batches in the food processor!