Why won't my chocolate chip cookies turn out?!
I need some help with my baking. Please only give me serious answers, I am really tired of someone writing poop or something to answer my questions.
Everytime I bake my chocolate chip cookies they come out flat as pancakes.
Here is what I do to ensure that they don't...
The butter is room temp.
The eggs are cold.
I follow the steps exactly.
I refridge the dough at least 30 mins.
The baking soda is fresh.
The oven is at the designated temp.
Still they come out flat as pancakes. Any ideas?
Thank you!
Answers: Hi,
I need some help with my baking. Please only give me serious answers, I am really tired of someone writing poop or something to answer my questions.
Everytime I bake my chocolate chip cookies they come out flat as pancakes.
Here is what I do to ensure that they don't...
The butter is room temp.
The eggs are cold.
I follow the steps exactly.
I refridge the dough at least 30 mins.
The baking soda is fresh.
The oven is at the designated temp.
Still they come out flat as pancakes. Any ideas?
Thank you!
I live in FL too and I have had the same problem. The only thing you can do is be sure to measure exactly to what the recipe says, maybe add a little extra flour so that the cookie dough is a little thicker. Also, do not use a mixer - this tears up the elasticity in the flour.
I switched to a different recipe and they turn out great. The dough is thicker and they bake at a lower temp:
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ? cups all purpose flour
? teaspoon baking powder
? teaspoon baking soda
? teaspoon salt
1 ? teaspoons instant coffee powder (optional)
1 ? cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2) Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)
3) Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
4) In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients
and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds.
5) Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
6) Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle.
7) Bake for 17 (soft) to 20 (crunchy) minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.
Pay attention to the mix times. It's important not to over-mix and tear up the flour.
Take your time go more slower, and lil extra bakiung soda. Good luck
Oh honey! Why on earth are you refridgerating your dough?!
melted still-warm butter, straight-from-the-fridge eggs. I've used baking soda up to a year old, before. =)
I have to ask what recipe you're using. I just use the old fashioned nestle toll house one and I've never yet had a batch go awry.
Next time put more flour in them, like 1/4 cup. Then make one cookie on a tray and see how that is. If it is still flat add another 1/4 cup.
I used to make the recipe on the chip package and they always turned out flat until I added more flour. Now they are fine.
I don't refrigerate the dough, either.
You could try using a little more flour in your batter to make it a little stiffer. Or more brown sugar. Turn the heat down by 25 degrees and cook a little longer.
Don't worry about refrigerating the dough. You might be using too much baking soda. Baking soda reduces the acidity of the batter, thus raising the temperature at which the batter sets.
baking soda = less acid
less acid = higher set temperature
increased soda = thin cookie
Baking soda and powder goes stale very fast. Try new.
That having been said, I baked. Now I don't. I have never baked a single thing in my life that tasted as good as anything from a bakery. And, for five bucks I have a couple dozen terrific chocolate chip cookies, better than I could ever make at home, and none of the mess. Or, in your case, none of the frustration.
Here is a slightly different recipe using 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cream together shortening and butter.
Add sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt.
Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2-inches apart, onto baking sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown.
Do not over bake!
Cool slightly before removing to wire cooling rack.
To keep cookies soft, store in an airtight container with a slice of bread
Try it. Hope it works for you this time.
Hmmm I've heard of using eggs at room temp as well when baking. That probably isn't the case though. You should get your oven calibrated to see if it really is at "375" or whatever temp you bake them at. It could be hotter than what the oven knob says. Get a thermometer that is oven safe, set the temp and leave the thermometer in there to see if it registers the right temp.
Also, I had similar experiences when baking cookies. I started rolling my cookies into balls and placing them on the cookie sheets. The cookies would come out almost perfectly round and looking like they came from a real bakery. The ratio for wet/dry ingredients could be off as well. If there is to much "wet", they will run. Good luck =)
if they are flat and chewy they aren't cooked(the dough may be too cold for the amount time you are baking them). try it with the eggs at room temperature, most old-school bakers have their eggs at room temp.play with the time and the temp, all recipes on the box are proven in perfect conditions(they may have used a convection oven to prove the recipe) i once used the temp from the muffin label and burned the hell out of em cause we use convection ovens(hot air) and they run hotter than radiant heat ovens lol. so do some test cookies at different temps and timings.
Try adding double the amount of baking soda
I will add some more ideas, but here is a documented tried and true review from Sarah
Back in November we were discussing the flattening problem with my Nestle Toll House Cookies. At last posting, I was going to experiment using your suggestions. Well...I am happy to report the problem appears solved. I've made these cookies now without any problems, so am pretty confident with my results. Yes, I use the recipe on the back of the Nestle bag. Also, my cookies are rather large. Each one uses 3.25 oz of dough, weighed on a digital kitchen scale.
I found the following makes a difference:
I use 1/2 shortening & 1/2 unsalted butter instead of 100% butter.
Use COLD ingredients -- butter, eggs, etc.
After stirring in the dry ingredients, I mix them on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Use the dough immediately before the dough has warmed while sitting! Refrigerate before using if it does.
I Thank you so much for your suggestions and help!
Additional info: Don't grease your cookie sheets, as grease will cause your cookies to spread. Use parchment paper or a silpat.
Don't overbeat. This 'melts' the butter instead of keeping it like cornmeal, the texture that you want in a pie dough. Also, depending on your altitude, you may need to add additional flour--up to 1/2 c. You are one that may need more flour.
Good luck. I am sure that these tips will help you. The recipe is wonderful..keep trying!
i had his problem when i tried to substitute oleo for butter doesn,t sound like your problem but the butter content in Florida may be different