Disgusting Oatmeal Cookies!!!
I made the most awful ones yesterday. Followed the recipe on the oatmeal box, which is how I'm sure I've always made them. I haven't made them in about 5 years so can't remember for sure.
They were hard, didn't spread out at all and even though they tasted OK, a real disappointment. I'm used to a soft,chewy cookie. What could have gone wrong? I used Butter Flavored Crisco, and then the usual ingredients. Any helpful ideas?
Thanks!
Hanky
Jan 24, 2007 06:28AM
I make that recipe non-stop. Normally, I only use 1/2 the call-ed for butter, and even though they don't spread quite as much nor are they quite as soft as the full fat version, they spread sufficiently and are plenty soft IF I DON"T OVERBAKE THEM. Two minutes too long and you get a brick-hard cookie (which I still eat w/ abandon).
So my first suspicion is you overbaked them. They should just barely start taking on golden color when you take them out, and they should still be slightly gooey in the middle. If they are already quite firm when you remove them from the oven, they will be WAY hard as they cool.
I'm not sure why you substituted Crisco, but since trans-fats are used to give baked goods a crispy, flakey snap (as well as longer shelf life), I would think that might have added to the hardness.
Also, if you used the instant oatmeal that looks more like flakes than rolled oats (as is called for in some oatmeal cookie recipes that IMO suck), that might affect the outcome as well. Further, if your raisins are dried out, that's bad. Soak them in very hot water for a bit first.
Better luck next time!
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There is a really big difference when you use Instant Quaker vs Old Fashioned. The instant come out thinner, almost runny. I prefer the Old Fashioned type myself, but maybe you're used to the other way?
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I may have been unclear. I think the Old Fashioned is immensely better. That's what I use.
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That's what everyone I know prefers also.
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The recipe called for vegetable shortening, hence the Crisco, and they weren't over baked. They stayed exactly as placed on the cookie sheet, so if I put them on as little balls, that's how they stayed.
Am trying again today. Have never before had a failure with Oatmeal Cookies. Maybe it was a fluke of some sort.
Thanks for your suggestions.
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Huh. Are you using the Quaker Oats Box? If it says vegetable shortening, I guess I never noticed. I always use butter in place of any recipe that calls for margarine or vegetable shortening. If it's not Quaker, then I guess my reply is not really applicable.
One other thought: was your oven fully pre-heated? That might account for the little balls not flattening out. I have had that occur (I'm the queen of small disasters), but I think it was when I got too aggressive in pushing the butter-reduction envelope.
Anyhow, good luck, and I'd love to know how it turns out.
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Try using a fresh box of baking soda. Are your eggs very small? Step up to a large or extra large egg. Do beat the sugar into the shortening until fluffy before continuing to the next step. You want the sugar to dissolve before you add anything else.
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Everything you describe suggests to me that there was too much flour in the dough - I'd take out a tablespoon or so. Personally I'd also use butter rather than Crisco but that's mainly a taste preference - the differences in texture wouldn't be that apparent in a cookie. Good luck with batch # 2.
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I'm thinking that you accidently left something out that would have provided the missing moisture.
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One step that helps maintain consistent results in baking is weighing dry ingredients. It is also much simpler and less messy. Humidity, or lack thereof, can make a difference in the amount of flour used. Also, I find cookies come out "softer" when I use butter, a bit more firm with half butter/half shortening, and crisp when shortening is used (e.g. Snickerdoodles).
Good luck with the next batch!
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Our standard recipe is a modified version of the "vanishing" cookies-which are far too along the crispy/crunchy end of the spectrum. We double the oats and halve the flour. We also always add far more goodies (pecans, raisins, dried apples, dried cherries, cranberries, etc) than the original Quaker dictates.
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I wanted to take this opportunity to test out attaching a photo. These (assuming you can see them) are my 1/2 fat oatmeal cookies.
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