Baking chocolate chip cookies HELP

[suzannews]

I following the recipe exactly, the only thing I changed was I bought milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet chips. The first batch was raw in the middle and burnt on the outside. The second batch I flattened the dough before cooking and baked 2 minutes less than the first. Hard as a rock and still a little burnt on the bottom but not raw in the middle. The third batch I again flattened the dough before cooking and baked for an additional less minute so -3 from the first batch. Still hard as a rock but not burnt on the bottom or raw in the middle. I covered the rest of the dough and called it a night. I told my daughter we would stick to buying cookies at the bakery. Any help?

 

[Serena]

Here's my .02 cents. Your oven may be too hot or your cookie sheet too shiny. Either one could make them cook too fast.

 

[MBFergie]

Buy a true baking stone (pampered chef, william sonoma)...cooks very evenly. Test your oven temperature....I bet it's off. Now the expensive way is to get a confection oven...bakes the best cookies. I'm more a cook then baker but do make batches and batches of cookies!! Look on allrecipes.com for a different recipe.

 

[lilboo]

I am SO not the person to answer this question but......

..have had MANY cookie woes before and wonder if it might not be the sugar content? I like my cookies crispier and adding more sugar(had been skimping a teensy bit before) did the trick! Maybe there's too much in yours?

Bet the first few batches were still ok.

 

[Jenzebelle]

The chip doesn't have anything to do with it- I always use milk chocolate and have never had a problem.

Sounds like a problem with your oven temp or the pan you are using. The best thing to bake cookies on is either a baking stone or an airbake pan

 

[suzannews]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions so far. I have a few Pampered Chef stones and will try baking on them tomorrow.

 

[shep]

Do you have your racks in the center of the oven??
Have you had any trouble baking anything else??
Possible heating element going bad in your oven??
Just a couple suggestions..

 

[KimRaye]

shep just wants the cookies!!

 

[shep]

Someone is pretty good at reading minds..

 

[Poohnatic]

sometimes I find that salted butter makes cookies crisp up. I try to use unsalted. They get softer still if you use the Crisco butter flavored shortening sticks.

I rarely get crunchy cookies anymore. Between having a gas oven and a Polder thermometer monitoring the temperature, it just doesn't happen.

Good luck with the next batch. I don't know about your house, but if they're homemade, my guys don't care what condition they are in!

Suzanne

 

[believe]

I would try lowering the baking temperature and baking for a longer time period. I usually bake my cookies slower than the recipe calls for and shep has no complaints....nor anyone in my family.

I used a very thin baking sheet that is turned up slightly on 2 ends, nothing on the longer sides....which allows for the heat to circulate better. It is similiar to the airbake, but does not have the 'padding' that airbake does. Best baking sheets I ever purchased.

 

[Minnie824]

Did you put in the correct ingredient of either baking soda or baking powder? I forgot which one it calls for, but I did the wrong one once, and they didn't turn out at all. Good luck....you could always just eat the cookie dough.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Sounds like your oven temp is too hot. Also the cookies need to be on the middle rack. I use the airbake sheet.

Here is a tip from me...Do NOT use the mixer to mix in your flour! When you make cookies ALWAYS STIR the flour in by hand. The old Tollhouse bags used to say "stir" in flour but now that alot of folks use the fancy big mixers it says to "mix" in flour.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I don't think it's the chips or the mixer - I've always used my mixer to blend in the flour and have had no problems at all.

I used to use airbake sheets, which were great, but I now use a baking stone, which is even better!!

I would try that, and I would also adjust the oven temp down a bit - it sounds like it might be too hot.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Are baking stones that much better than an Airbake sheet???? Hmmm I guess I need to buy one and try it out.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Miss Jasmine
Are baking stones that much better than an Airbake sheet???? Hmmm I guess I need to buy one and try it out.

I loved my airbake sheets, but I just find that the cookies come out even better on a stone.

 

[yasuern]

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/2c crisco butter shortening
1/2c. granulated sugar
3/4c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. quick-cooking rolled oats
2 tsp. vanilla
1 (12-oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (milk choc or semi-sweet or butterscotch any kind - even M&M's)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter, shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together and add to butter and sugar mixture. Add oats, vanilla and chips. Mix well and drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.


Okay a variations but absolutely yummy! and also not to sweet not to soft and not crispy - try them !

I find that using to much suger or all butter makes my cookies more on the crunchy side.

 

[justjulie]

My cookies used to burn too - I switched to using parchment paper on my cookie sheets - works every time and easy clean up!