how come everytime i make cookies they always flatten?

Question

i follow the instructions to a T, but i dont understand, they always look like pancakes...They taste good, but they're not like a normal cookie...Could it be my oven?

Answer 1

From my experiences, flat cookies=too soft because they weren't cooked long enough or because I had too much butter in the batter. Too much baking powder/soda can do it to.

Answer 2

The issue may be caused by over beating, warm dough, too much butter, not enough leavening... lots of different issuestry these two recipes, credit Alton Brown. Both work great, almost fool proof. Omit the chocolate chips and you have a perfect cookie base.

The Chewy

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.


The Puffy

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in the mixer's work bowl, and cream until light and fluffy. In the meantime, sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
Add the eggs 1 at a time to the creamed mixture. Then add vanilla. Increase the speed until thoroughly incorporated.
With the mixer set to low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the shortening and combine well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough. Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Bake for 13 minutes or until golden brown and puffy, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool and store in an airtight-container.

Answer 3

It could be your oven, or it could be you are beating the eggs and sugar too much, so it gets too much air and then falls. ( I just read that somewhere. Wonder where.) If you put the cookie dough on the sheets right after they are still hot from the oven, the dough melts and the cookies aren't firm. Oh, and maybe it's using margarine that has too much water.

Answer 4

Very important: use real butter not margarine when making cookies. Also, refridgerate your dough before you scoop out and bake. Keep the dough refridgerated between batch baking.

Answer 5

You have to adjust the recipe for the altitude that you are at. I think most recipes are made for sea level. You can call the 800 number on the box and they can help you.

Answer 6

I used to have this trouble. Now I refrigerate my dough before baking. I also use a small melon baller to scoop my dough which makes them more uniform in shape. Good luck.

Answer 7

Lots of reasons...my guess is that you are over mixing.

If you are using a kitchen aid style mixer, only use the slow speed once you have put in the dry ingr.

Answer 8

do you put jam in the thumbprint? my sister makes those and she uses a little less butter then normal because the moiture from the jam seeps into the dough or something. also try taking them out of the oven 30 secs or a minutes earlier.

Answer 9

Maybe the baking powder you are using is out of date. Baking powder has to be tossed every few months because it loses its oomph.

Answer 10

by flatten do you mean spread out? run together?.....if so.....try using only 1/2 the butter or shortening the recipe asks for.