Flat Cookies

[et1770]

I am using pampered chef bar pans (stones) for cookies; and they are pretty dark.

I use the recipe from the back of the choc chip bag but use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening. Not sure if I'm mixing the wet ingredients too much or if its the fact I'm using butter, but cookies are flat. I added more flour over the course of a few batches and they improved.

I mixed by hand this time and they were really flat! I mixed until the creamed ingred. were fluffy. Is that the problem?

Last time I used my counter top mixer and think I ended up adding a small amount of flour.

I've used my hand mixer too and think I usually end up adding some flour. I may have to go back to just using shortening. I used to be pretty proud of my cookies, now I'm embarraed to share them!

Any suggestions welcomed.

ET

[BangorDin]

It always makes a difference if I chill the dough. The butter has to be softened to mix in, but a firm chilled ball of dough will spread less.

[viperlush]

The recipe for M&M cookies that I am currently baking says to "Shape each portion into a ball with your hands then pull each ball into two equal pieces. Turn each half so that the rough side of the half (what used to be the inside of the ball) faces upwards and then squish both halves together. " I guess this is to keep the cookies from getting too flat?

You can always give that a try.

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/07/g...

[chowser]

I love that technique. It's more to get the bumpy texture on top of big cookies, so they don't look too flat on top (like bakery cookies). The taller cookie dough might make a taller cookie, though, because it has so much farther to melt to flat.

[chowser]

In general, a flat cookie can mean that your butter/liquid to flour ratio is too high so your adding flour would help. Butter does cause a cookie to flatten, too, over shortening. You could also try refrigerating the cookie dough before baking it and making sure it's chilled.

Have you usually used stoneware pans to bake cookies? They come to temperature more slowly in the oven and that would also cause more flattening of the cookies. It won't makes as big of a difference (although it will make some difference) with shortening but butter melts so quickly to cause flattening.

[mamachef]

Try chilling those baking stones before you put the cookie dough on them so they don't immediately settle and spread. also watch your ratios/ butter melts and spreads way more than shortening.

[chowser]

I know Pampered Chef really pushes those baking stones but I don't like them for cookies. Once they're hot, it takes a long time to cool for multiple batches. They're so heavy and you have to be careful if you're baking for someone who has severe allergies.

[mamachef]

I inherited a pizza stone, and it works great. But you mentioned something that never did occur, which is: yep, that's porous material. I just bake on plain dark aluminum, and cookies generally come out fine.

[oldunc]

Well, out of my experience a little bit- I guess by shortening you mean Crisco or some such, though the butter is also shortening; never tried it for cookies, it's so expensive now I'm not tempted, and the stone is new to me. The standard (2 1/4 flour to 1 butter) chocolate chip recipe is a good proportion, but should be measured unsifted. Chocolate chip dough is relatively wet ; forming the cookies with damp hands not only keeps it from sticking to your hands, I'm fairly convinced it helps stabilize the cookie during baking

[mamachef]

You're right about the distinction I make. To me butter is a food and shortening really isn't.

[oldunc]

I find the demise of the word shortening a bit sad, since there is no ready replacement. Any fat cut into flour to "shorten" a dough is shortening; Crisco adopted the name as a description of their product, probably because it was hard to market "canned fat" or "cookin' grease".

[soupkitten]

i am not trying to shoot down your idea, Mamachef, but you're actually not supposed to chill those stoneware pans before putting them in a hot oven--as this can cause them to crack or even to dangerously explode!

i do think the pan may be the culprit though! i only bake cookies on commercial 1/2 sheets, if i can at all help it!

[sandylc]

Thanks, soupkitten...I was going to mention that as well. Professional sheet pans are the way to go. They are reasonably priced, bake beautifully, and last forever. Those who do not own any, hie thee off to a kitchen supply store or a Sam's club and get some posthaste.