What's Wrong With My Cookies?

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ChadHahn

Cook
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
56
Location
Tucson
This is the third batch of chocolate chip cookies I have made in as many day and they have all looked the same. I have been cooking for almost 40 years and this is the first time I can remembering this happening.

The first two times I thought the butter/dough was to warm but the cookies spread even when the dough was refrigerated. I saw that the baking soda was 3 years old so I opened a new box and made the cookies again today. The photo is from this batch with baking soda that is good until the end of the year.

Does anyone have any ideas why my cookies should be like this?

tollhouse.jpg


Thanks,

Chad
 
Just by looking, I would guess too much butter or not enough flour.

It would help if you posted the recipe you used. Maybe someone can spot the problem.
 
I agree with SilverSage - we need to see the recipe. Is this a recipe you've used before with success? Have you tested your oven for accuracy with a good oven thermometer?

I can't tell what type of pans you're using, but if they're nonstick dark ones, you need to reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
 
I'm using the Nestle Toll House recipe.

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

I've used this recipe ever since I was a little kid, it was the first thing I ever made by myself.

I used the scoop and sweep method for the flour and two sticks of butter.

The pans are Baker's Secret non-stick pans and I've used them before with this recipe (I make these cookies about once a month) and the cookies always turned out alright before.

I have an oven thermometer hanging from the rack in the oven and it reads 375.

Chad
 
Did you use margarine before and butter this time? That's what it looks like to me. If you want to use butter then I suggest chilling the dough before baking. If you can use margarine it will likely work better, although the flavor will be different.
 
I gave up on the back-of-the-package years ago, because I thought they spread too much and got too thin. But that's neither here nor there.

From the looks of the cookie in the front left, I wonder if it's too much sugar? Sugar acts as a liquid in baking. Getting carried away with packing your brown sugar into the cup could be part of the problem. Using dark brown instead of light brown would put more molasses (more liquid) in the mix. Using extra large or jumbo eggs. Switching from butter to light or whipped butter or margarine. All these things would add more liquid.

Another question - are you using the same brand of flour? King Arthur has the highest protein content of the A/P's; Gold Medal & Pillsbury are in the middle; White Lily has the lowest. Switching brands can affect your cookies.

Have you changed any of these things?

Just to show how touchy the Toll House recipe can be, a bit of history. Years ago, the package recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon of water. Yes! 1/4 teaspoon! Over the years they've removed it, but it makes you wonder how fussy their recipe is if 1/4 teaspoon water made a difference.
 
I used butter. The same butter I always use.

The first day the cookies spread, I put the dough in the refrigerator, made a second batch and they spread. The second day I made a new batch, they spread so I got out the batch from the first day and made a batch, they still spread.

Everything has been the same. I packed the light brown sugar fairly lightly the same as I do everytime. The flour is the same, it's probably the same batch that I used the last time I made the cookies.

I agree that at the best of times the recipe produces cookies that are kind of thing but nothing like the puddles I've been producing lately.

Nothing has changed in the way I made the cookies. Today I made sure that I followed the recipe exactly and when they came out I went through my cookie recipe folder on the computer to make sure I haven't used a different recipe in the past but it's been the same one.

Chad
 
I used to sometimes add 1/4 to 1/3 cup cocoa to the Toll House recipe for chocolate-chocolate chips cookies, and the rise & the texture was picture perfect.

I just compared the recipes from ATK, NYT, and Alton Brown. Those are the current 'flagship' recipes for chocolate chip cookies. The Toll House recipe ratio of dry-to-wet just seems a little low.

If nothing has changed, I think my first step would be to add 1/4 cup additional flour.
 
I gave up on the back-of-the-package years ago, because I thought they spread too much and got too thin. But that's neither here nor there.

From the looks of the cookie in the front left, I wonder if it's too much sugar? Sugar acts as a liquid in baking. Getting carried away with packing your brown sugar into the cup could be part of the problem. Using dark brown instead of light brown would put more molasses (more liquid) in the mix. Using extra large or jumbo eggs. Switching from butter to light or whipped butter or margarine. All these things would add more liquid.

Another question - are you using the same brand of flour? King Arthur has the highest protein content of the A/P's; Gold Medal & Pillsbury are in the middle; White Lily has the lowest. Switching brands can affect your cookies.

Have you changed any of these things?

Just to show how touchy the Toll House recipe can be, a bit of history. Years ago, the package recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon of water. Yes! 1/4 teaspoon! Over the years they've removed it, but it makes you wonder how fussy their recipe is if 1/4 teaspoon water made a difference.

Awesome reply! I wouldn't have thought of any of those things...

I used butter. The same butter I always use.

The first day the cookies spread, I put the dough in the refrigerator, made a second batch and they spread. The second day I made a new batch, they spread so I got out the batch from the first day and made a batch, they still spread.

Everything has been the same. I packed the light brown sugar fairly lightly the same as I do everytime. The flour is the same, it's probably the same batch that I used the last time I made the cookies.

I agree that at the best of times the recipe produces cookies that are kind of thing but nothing like the puddles I've been producing lately.

Nothing has changed in the way I made the cookies. Today I made sure that I followed the recipe exactly and when they came out I went through my cookie recipe folder on the computer to make sure I haven't used a different recipe in the past but it's been the same one.

Chad

Something had to have changed between the last time you successfully cooked this recipe, and now.

Same cookie sheet as before? Dark colored or light colored cookie sheets and pans can make a major difference in browning cookies and breads.

Otherwise I think you have to consider changing your recipe if you want your old cookies back. From reading the previous replies I'd consider less sugar or lighter brown sugar, chilling the dough, and decreasing the cooking time.
 
Last edited:
Scoop and sweep is a very risky method to measure flour. Sometimes you get more, sometimes less. Best to weigh. Barring that, smaller spoonsful to fill the measuring cup.
Also, was the oven preheated or did you not turn it on until the cookie sheet went in? Also, that cookie sheet looks like it has high sides. That can actually hold in steam and not allow the outsides of the cookies to set quickly enough. Heat needs to be able to get to the sides immediately to help the cookie set.
And I agree, something has to have changed in your method or recipe.
 
The edges of the pan are maybe an inch high.

I have been using a 1/4 measuring spoon to scoop the flour and putting in 5 scoops.

The oven was preheated each time.

Also I made this recipe three times in three days and each time they turned out exactly like this.

Chad
 
Last edited:
What an idiot I am. You know I normally use 4 1/2 cup measures and then one 1/4 cup measure. My daughter has been helping me and I used a 1/4 cup the whole time. I guess I forgot to change my math. Is there a red-faced emoticon?

Thanks for the help.

Chad
 
What an idiot I am. You know I normally use 4 1/2 cup measures and then one 1/4 cup measure. My daughter has been helping me and I used a 1/4 cup the whole time. I guess I forgot to change my math. Is there a red-faced emoticon?

Thanks for the help.

Chad

You just tell everyone they are the low-carb version.
 
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie:

28710516344090693_MRR9jF3H_b.jpg


There are many variables in baking. Pictured are cookies with various problems using the same dough (with flour adjustments in numbers 3 &4).
1. This cookie is done just right. It is pictured to compare with the rest.
2. This dough was not refrigerated. It is still good but a little flatter than it should be.
3. This dough contained too much flour and did not spread much at all. It is interesting to note that the dough looked identical to the correct dough, but was much stiffer and drier.
4. This dough had too little flour. It spread too much and didn’t bake evenly.
5. This dough was over-mixed. It had a poor color, baked flat and had a strange consistency.
6. This dough was formed too small. It was overcooked at eight minutes. It is fine to make smaller cookies, just bake them for less time.
7. This dough was formed too large. The outsides were done while the middle was too high and underdone.
8. This dough was baked in an oven 25 degrees too hot. The outside was overdone and the inside was slightly underdone.
9. This dough was baked in an oven 25 degrees too cool. It fell flat and became too crisp without much of an inside.
10. This dough was frozen when baked. It took longer to bake and didn’t cook as evenly. To use frozen dough, set on cookie sheet at room temperature while oven is preheating, 15-20 minutes. It takes the frost off and bakes perfectly.
 
What an idiot I am. You know I normally use 4 1/2 cup measures and then one 1/4 cup measure. My daughter has been helping me and I used a 1/4 cup the whole time. I guess I forgot to change my math. Is there a red-faced emoticon?

Thanks for the help.

Chad

Don't measure. Weigh. While flours weights vary you can figure around 120g per cup for things like all purpose. This helps get rid of how much flour is in a cup of flour.
 
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