What's Wrong With My Cookies???!!!!

Are you using a sugar substitute?

That will make for crappy baking even is the box says "use like sugar".

I thought you had a computer problem, squinney!

Not that I'm an expert, mind, but have you bought a different flour? A more refined one, perhaps?

Dontunnastand, Squinney. You just told us what's wrong with your cookies.

Here are some tips that might help. http://www.cafecreosote.com/Reference/CookieTips.php3

I would try increasing the butter content. What kind of flour do you use?

Is there baking powder or soda in the recipe - that sort of question comes to mind.

Do you have an oven thermometer?

Seems like there's probably something wrong with the batter to begin with, and then oven temp is crucial for baking.



Where's the actual recipe, squinney - it'll be easier to look at your amendments in context.

I only bake during the Holidays so I don't have any advice, but my girls would be happy to take your rejects off your hands. :wink:

The only difference is Redband All purpose flour as opposed to Pillsbury All Purpose.

The baking powder is fresh, just bought last week.

I tried adding more butter, but then the batter gets gooey-er and the middle stays cakey while the edges get thin and brown. There would be NO way to roll this for cookie cutting, even if chilled. It's like peanut butter consistancy.

I'm measuring everything just right... Used to do this with a guess and a pinch!

This happens with the Nestle Tollhouse recipe and the sugar cookie recipe I use.

1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
2/3 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 C flour

Can't get any simpler than that, it would seem. Anyone want to give it a try and see if it happens to you too?

Daughter has to make Snickerdoodles for Foods 1 class she missed while sick. Don't want this to happen to her sample she has to take in to the teacher.

hmmm

you've changed flour - dough's coming out too gluey?

I have tried some of the low gluten flour for bread making and ended up with sticky soupy results.

I'm not familiar with Redband brand.

Does it perhaps have less gluten than other baking flour?

Hmmm, maybe if you write in to Pillsbury's parent company (ConAgra?), they'll give you some free stuff?

Looking at the tips page Swimpy linked, and then at some other recipes, it seems it should maybe be baking soda not baking powder - and check the flour - is there anything 'special' about it?

This happened to me a while back. I tossed my baking powder and my baking soda and bought new. That worked for me.

I agree with ehBeth, baking soda's what you want for chewy not cakey cookies.

Thanks everyone. We'll be baking tomorrow for daughters homework. (Snickerdoodles) Will buy real butter, new flour, and fresh baking soda and try the sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies again. I'll let you know what happens... If I can still reach the keyboard! : )

Good luck, squinney. A heavy responsibility there!

I know. I feel like I'M getting graded again.


So, yesterday I buy more ingredients and try again. I bought enough to try several combinations to see what made the difference. I started with the Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate chip cookie recipe, and the only thing I changed was that instead of Sheds Spread margerine I used real butter. THEY WERE PERFECT!!!! Just changing to real butter made the entire difference. With just the butter, sugar, egg mix that you start with, I could already tell the texture was right.

Okay, so this afternoon daughter and I get in the kitchen for me to supervise the Snickerdoodles.

Still have enough for about six batches of anything from sugar, chocolat chip, snickerdoodle or peanut butter cookies. Looks like a bake sale might be in order!

Or a party. BYOM (Bring Your own milk)

Can I please come to your house, squinney? I promise to even bring lots of milk to share!

Hooray and yummmmmm.



hamburger and mrs. hamburger will be driving past you early next week. maybe i should tell them to make a cookie stop

Oh, I can't wait! Verdict on the Snickerdoodles, please! Did you pass, squinney? :wink: