SOS: Shaped Cookie Problems

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Bren

Assistant Cook
Joined
Dec 2, 2016
Messages
2
Location
Leicester
Whenever I make cookies they seem to flatten out in the oven, into paper thin generally roundish crisp like cookies.
I'm trying to make Christmas cookies, I've tried every type I can think of shortbread, biscuit and cookie recipes everything just goes paper thin
Ideally I would like a shortbread recipe which makes about ten cookies in way where they retain their shape and thickness throughout baking. Or any tips on how to be double sure they will keep their shape and thickness.

Thanks
 
I'm not a baker but could you possibly be mis-understanding the quantities in so much as the flour is concerned by using too little? Or using too much fat? (butter/margarine/etc) Butter will flatten out more than a margarine.

Do different types of flour affect cookie doughs? As in all-purpose as against bread flour as against pastry flour?

There are lots of bakers here, someone will come along soon with a suggestion I'm sure.
 
Whenever I make cookies they seem to flatten out in the oven, into paper thin generally roundish crisp like cookies.
I'm trying to make Christmas cookies, I've tried every type I can think of shortbread, biscuit and cookie recipes everything just goes paper thin
Ideally I would like a shortbread recipe which makes about ten cookies in way where they retain their shape and thickness throughout baking. Or any tips on how to be double sure they will keep their shape and thickness.

Thanks
Is there liquid in the recipe? If so perhaps there is too much? Types of flour and weather conditions can affect the rate at which the flour takes in liquid. Or if you are using a spread type of fat rather than a solid butter/margarine the mixture will be softer

I make shortbread and similar type of cookies in a shallow baking tray (sheet pan?) so they are contained in a slab and cut them after cooking but, of course, you only get square or finger-shaped cookies then. Does that make sense?
 
Last edited:
Try replacing the butter in your cookie recipe with solid vegetable shortening...Good luck!

This!

Butter melts at a lower temperature than shortening so cookie dough will spread out before it has a chance to set.

OR

Another option is to thoroughly chill the dough before putting the cookies on the cookie sheet. That way the butter's melting is slowed down so you get thicker cookies.
 
This!

Butter melts at a lower temperature than shortening so cookie dough will spread out before it has a chance to set.

OR

Another option is to thoroughly chill the dough before putting the cookies on the cookie sheet. That way the butter's melting is slowed down so you get thicker cookies.
In fact I've baked cookie dough that I've previously frozen, straight from the freezer. Probably the same effect.
 
Any chance you are melting the butter when making up the dough? it would cause the effect you have noted. Butter should be soft but NOT melted.
 
When I used to make Christmas cookies (12 varieties) I would use 1/2 butter & 1/2 butter flavor Crisco in my recipes. They came out very good.
 
thank you so much everyone

thank you so much.
the recipe mentioned none of these tips! it said to use the butter at room temp. so that it mixes in to the sugar and flour well to make the dough, but didnt say anything about chilling the dough after or making sure the butter didnt completely melt in the mixing process.

to be honest i think now that, the butter was probably melted, it was at room temperature to start with and i live in communal flats so the average room temperature is probably at least 25*c. and i spent about 50 minutes mixing as i had to get the air in by hand as i cant get a electric mixer. plus the resulting cookies were holey like lace as well as flat probably again a sign it was too warm to hold it together.

thanks, next time im gonna chill my dough, ill let you know how i get on itll be before the end of the week :)
 
thank you so much.
the recipe mentioned none of these tips! it said to use the butter at room temp. so that it mixes in to the sugar and flour well to make the dough, but didnt say anything about chilling the dough after or making sure the butter didnt completely melt in the mixing process.

to be honest i think now that, the butter was probably melted, it was at room temperature to start with and i live in communal flats so the average room temperature is probably at least 25*c. and i spent about 50 minutes mixing as i had to get the air in by hand as i cant get a electric mixer. plus the resulting cookies were holey like lace as well as flat probably again a sign it was too warm to hold it together.

thanks, next time im gonna chill my dough, ill let you know how i get on itll be before the end of the week :)


I know this may be a silly question But did you cream the butter and sugar just till combined before adding the other ingredients? If the butter and sugar is beaten to long it can cause spreading of the finished cookie.
 
I keep reading this thinking why would someone want to make cookies in the shape of the letters S, O, and S.

Unless maybe they are a prosoner in a cookie factory,...
 
thank you so much.
the recipe mentioned none of these tips! it said to use the butter at room temp. so that it mixes in to the sugar and flour well to make the dough, but didnt say anything about chilling the dough after or making sure the butter didnt completely melt in the mixing process.

to be honest i think now that, the butter was probably melted, it was at room temperature to start with and i live in communal flats so the average room temperature is probably at least 25*c. and i spent about 50 minutes mixing as i had to get the air in by hand as i cant get a electric mixer. plus the resulting cookies were holey like lace as well as flat probably again a sign it was too warm to hold it together.

thanks, next time im gonna chill my dough, ill let you know how i get on itll be before the end of the week :)

May I ask what are communal flats?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom