Calling all bakers - flat cookies

[mommy2emily]

Need help and thought this was the best place to come. I made 2 batches of oatmeal raisin cookies today and both are flat and even burnt a little.
Never had this problem before. Recipe called for baking at 350 for 10-12 minutes took them ot at 10 still soft in middle but burnt on edges and crisped. Only thing I can think of was I used softened salted butter would that make a difference?

any help would be appreciated!

 

[cornflake]

You used that as opposed to what? Unsalted? That shouldn't make a difference, no.

How soft the butter was can lead to flatter cookies, if the butter is very melty but it sounds like your oven temp is off. I'd get a thermometer and check it.

 

[SandrA9810]

Isn't baking soda what helps it rise? If that's gone bad, it won't help rise the cookies.

Add a little to hot water or vinegar, if it starts bubbling and fizzing, then it's still good. If it's been sitting in an open box, it will start absorbing odors in the air and neutralizing the stuff.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I think margarine works better than butter in some cookies...... Also, don't over mix the ingredients. I mix only by hand for that reason.

 

[SandrA9810]

I think margarine works better than butter in some cookies...... Also, don't over mix the ingredients. I mix only by hand for that reason.

By hand or with a pastry cutter. It works best to keep the dough cold, and even chill before baking. I forgot to do that the last time with my pie dough and it shrunk nearly half way down the side during my pre bake.

 

[cornflake]

Mixing cookies, unless they're shortbread, with a pastry cutter, won't work. That's for short doughs, not cookie doughs, which are creamed and wet.

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

I am definitely not a baker, however I have heard that chilling the dough in the fridge before putting in the over helps firm it up....tell me if it works

 

[SandrA9810]

eh... I like playing with things when I'm in the kitchen cooking up goodies. Even if it's not the proper way. I like having fun.

 

[cornflake]

I am definitely not a baker, however I have heard that chilling the dough in the fridge before putting in the over helps firm it up....tell me if it works

It does and chilling or freezing dough on some cookies can slow the baking and preserve shape better, it's part of why some cookie doughs are chilled doughs - however, these are just drop cookies that shouldn't be acting like this, is the problem. As well, the OP sounds like she's made cookies before without issue, which implies she's not doing something totally wacky and not thinking to mention it.

The burning edges after only 10 minutes is what's making me think the oven temp is off. Butter that's too softened or melted will give you flatter cookies, as will too little flour, sometimes cake flour, other issues, but flat, with burning edges and soft centers shouldn't be happening in either of those cases either.

Could be something else but I'd check the oven calibration first.

 

[plummer925]

Did you appropriately preheat your oven? That could cause flat cookies if you didn't.

 

[Minnie116]

My grandmother tells me not to use butter in cookies because it melts and spreads the cookies out. She tells me to use Margarine and only Land of Lakes Margarine because it still has 80% Fat Content in it. All of the other margarine has lowered their fat content and it does not hold the cookies together. She is an amazing baker so I always take her advice.

 

[cornflake]

My grandmother tells me not to use butter in cookies because it melts and spreads the cookies out. She tells me to use Margarine and only Land of Lakes Margarine because it still has 80% Fat Content in it. All of the other margarine has lowered their fat content and it does not hold the cookies together. She is an amazing baker so I always take her advice.

Butter is 80% fat, so I have no idea what the difference would be. I've never used anything but butter in cookies and it's never been a problem. Also, shortbread doesn't spread.

 

[Marionnette]

My grandmother tells me not to use butter in cookies because it melts and spreads the cookies out. She tells me to use Margarine and only Land of Lakes Margarine because it still has 80% Fat Content in it. All of the other margarine has lowered their fat content and it does not hold the cookies together. She is an amazing baker so I always take her advice.

I never use margarine. It's butter or I'm not baking. My cookies always turn out fine.

OP, are you softening your butter or are you using the new, soft and spreadable butter? Those new soft butters are not suitable for baking.

If you are softening it yourself, you have to make sure that it isn't too soft. The butter should not be liquid or overly soft or else it will affect how the sugar gets incorporated. Room temperature is best. When you cream the sugar with the butter, you are suspending the sugar crystals in the fat. If the butter is too soft, you end up melting the sugar in the butter. It does have an effect on how the cookies bake.

 

[java]

I love to bake. 2 things

Your butter was too soft. (salted vs. unsalted just would vary taste I always use unsalted because I like to control the salt)

Or your Baking Powder is old. Test it by putting a tsp into warm water- it should fizz

if you use Baking Soda in your recipe- that too can be old - to test put some drops of white vinegar in a bowl sprinkle with baking soda(a little bit) it should bubble up. The more it does the fresher your baking soda is.

I use tons of both of those so I never have the go bad issue- but my friends that bake only around the holidays and birthdays often have the baking powder, soda issue.

 

[Diabolicdesire]

If you tried chilling the dough and that doesn't work then parchment paper helps keep them from spreading too much also.

 

[jmac323]

I've had this happen before on a couple of occasions: 1. is too soft of butter and 2. is old baking soda.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

If you use half crisco (butter flavor is good) and half butter and make sure your baking soda is good as others have said they should turn out great. They were probably burnt on the edges because they were too thin. I always under bake my cookies a bit too. Also it is possible your oven heats too high. Mine does and if it is something like cookies or cakes I turn it down 10˙ or so.

 

[lizabu]

I chill my cookie dough a bit (20 minutes) whe I don't want thin cookies

 

[Deb & Bill]

Dark cookie sheet? Turn down your oven 25 degrees.

 

[Local_Girl]

Some great cookie baking tips here, thanks everyone (and I'm not the OP)!!

Another thing you might consider is that you should drop cookie dough onto a cooled cookie sheet rather than a hot/warm one. I've found that this prevents my dough from beginning to liquefy as soon as it hits the cookie sheet. It also really helps to have more than one cookie sheet to help speed things along...