sugar cookies phobia?

Question

i like to bake cookies,
but somehow whenever it comes to cut-out cookies,
i simply fail because the shape of the cookie just spread too much.
i did chill it overnight and even decreased the amount of baking powder in the recipe.
can somebody tell me what's wrong?
thank you.

it either rises too much or spreads out too much.
like from a teddy bear shape it becomes a circle shape..

Answer 1

I love cookies. I don't personally make them, but i might know whats wrong. the cutters are supposed to be a little thinner than the shape its going to come out as, because your cookies are going to spread no matter what.
Either its your cutters or its because your cookies are too thick, giving them more dough to spread. Try making your cookie dough slabs thinner before you buy new cutters though.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Cookies spread across a cookie sheet when a they have too little structure and cannot hold their shape. Whether this is desirable or not depends on what kind of cookie you wish to bake, but often some spread is desirable.

There are many ways to increase cookie spread: One way is to add a small amount of baking soda, as little as .25 to .5 ounce (5 to 15 grams) for 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of cookie dough. This increases pH of the dough, weakening gluten, and also weakening egg protein structure. With less structure, cookies spread more and have a coarser, more porous crumb. Since moisture evaporates from a porous crumb more easily, baking soda often provides for a crisper crumb, as well.

Measure baking soda carefully. Baking soda increases browning significantly, and if used at too high a level, it leaves a distance salty-chemical off flavor. Too much baking soda also causes eggs in baked goods to turn grayish green.

When working a high altitudes, omit baking soda from the cookie dough. The lower air pressure at high altitudes already encourages spread.

here is a great website with all kinds of cookie tips:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cookie/CookieTips.htm

Answer 4

I think your dough is probably rolled too thick. That assumes you know the actual recipe was meant for cutout shapes. I've seen sugar cookie recipes that are only meant to be cut with a round biscuit cutter, so it ends up only as a circle.

My sugar cookies came out great this year. Normally, I end up with at least a few Charlie Brown trees and Ziggy stars and angels with fallen wings, etc. My dough was well chilled and I didn't have to add much flour while rolling them out to less than 1/4 inch. Maybe the humidity level was just right or things like that.

Answer 5

This is the best recepi for surgar cookies that I have found. Maybe you might have better luck with this one! Just tried this recepi for the first time this year and the cookies turned out great and everyone loved them. Several people asked for the recepi!
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Southern-Cooking/Sugar-Cookies.htm

Answer 6

Maybe the fat to flour ratio is off in your recipe. I simply use the box sugar cookies. People think they are all the way homemade without all the work.

Answer 7

Phobia means you are scared of something.
You can't have a sugar cookie phobia if you are willingly going around them all the time.
You just aren't a good baker or you are clumsy is all. Don't feel bad, I'm sure you have a skill at something else.

Answer 8

Why not just make em round 'n big and put some sprinkles on em. I love sugar cookies so I don't really mind how you bake them. Send some over here!

Answer 9

baking powder reduces the rise of the cookie. thats why its to thin for you.

Answer 10

you probably just have the dough too thick, roll it out more.. i'm no baking expert though that probably isn't your problemm..? there is always cooking advice online like at foodnetwork.com and things like that
=)