Why do my cookies and biscuits always turn out hard?!
Answers: Is it the flour I'm useing or am I not adding enough milk? Any ideas?
Since it is happening with your baked goods I bet it is the amount of flour you are putting in. When you measure your flour, it is best to spoon it into the measuring device while leaving the receptacle on the counter. This prevents packing of the flour which will leave more space for you to keep adding more which will make your product dry, dense, and hard. I keep my flour in a plastic container and give it a quick stir with a spoon or knife to fluff it back up since it settles while in the cabinet and getting moved around. Then I spoon it into the measuring cup. Another factor for hard biscuits is if you are handling them a lot. The oils from your hands make the dough more tough as well. Try using a wooden spoon or latex gloves. Another factor could be, if you have an electric oven you are supposed to keep them exactly in the center or move them to the top rack halfway through the cooking process.
Sounds like you are baking them too long.
Maybe not enough butter and milk.
Sounds like they are baking too long at too low of a temperature. To test, you can buy an inexpensive oven thermometer, place it in your oven and see if 350 degrees on your knob actually registers 350 degrees inside your oven. You may need to have your oven calibrated.
Depends on the recipe. If they are chocolate chip add brown sugar insted of white sugar, this will keep them chewy. Bake at 350 untill the outside of the cookie just starts to brown then remove them from the oven. Even out of the oven they will continue to bake on the hot tray. Good Luck
Mark
Piece of Cake Inc
There are several causes for tough baked goods.
1) Over mixing the batter or dough. This develops gluten which makes biscuits, muffins, pancakes, etc. dense & heavy.
2) Adding too much flour which leads to heavy & dry cookies.
3) Over baking which makes baked goods dry & hard.
Get an oven thermometer so you can check if your oven runs hot, cold, or is right on the money. Always use a timer.
4) Not adding the correct amount of leavening (i.e. yeast, baking soda, cream of tartar, baking powder) or adding too much salt.
5) Flour dries a bit as it stored. Keep it in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark place.
You need to not use baking powder. Try some peanut butter, or try oatmeal---not all of these at once of course, just one or the other and another thing try melting the butter!!!! Good luck!! Make sure to time them for the lowest amount of time and check them and let them cool-your oven might be too hot for the time allotted.
You are supposed to make those things with a light hand. Assuming your recipes are OK, after adding wet ingredients to your dried ingredients, stir only enough to moisten.
Always preheat oven (use a temperature gauge to check oven temperature & to make sure your oven setting gives you the right amount of heat) follow recipe instructions as to bake time
Try adding les flour and more milk. If u add to much flour, it will become hard. trust me ive done it be4
too much flour not enough shortening or liquids , too low temp of an oven . too hot of an oven make sure you oven is at the right temp . leaving them in the oven too long . make sure they are only baked until the outside edges are light brown and then remove them from the oven . they do keep cooking on hot cookie sheets . buiscuits it sounds like you are either mixing them too long, not enough milk or shortening, mixed them too long . next time make sure your measurements are accurate and dont mix them too long also let your cookies and biscuits set a little before rolling or baking it lets the dough rest therefore making a more tender biscuit and if the cookie dough gets refrigerated it makes it set up and not cook so quickly.