Why does this keep happening!?

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

The famous Toll House cookie recipe is very similar to yours, and they always come out either flat and chewy, or flat and crispy, depending on the cooking time. This is because they are leavend with simple baking soda, with no acid to create the CO2 required for leavening. Replace the baking soda with baking powder, and add a tbs. of water to youre recipe. The water will work with the flour starches, creating the proper texture to trap teh CO2 and expand the cookie. This will give your a tender, more cake-like cookie. If you simply want a thicker cookie, but with the same chewy texture as the Toll House cookie, increase the amount of flour with respect to the amount of fat. Add and extra 1/4 cup in your recipe.

If you add unsweetened cocoa powder (make sure it's not ductched), then you can use the baking soda as the cocoa powder is acidic enough to react with the baking soda. And, you will have a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips.

Just some suggestions. Hope they help.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Kathleen]

I had a similar problem with a recipe that I tried, the dough seemed to wet. I finally solved it by adding some quick cooking oatmeal to it to sitffen up the dough. As the cookies bake the oatmeal will absorb some of the moisture that seems to be causing your cookies to melt all over the sheet. I would try about a quarter cup for the size recipe that you have.

I was going to suggest adding oatmeal. When I use it, I turn it into dry powder in the electric blender. It adds a bit of flavor without adding too much "oatmeal" texture. I'm not a terrific baker, but the oatmeal flour could help with the oozy butter issue.

~Kathleen