Help! Can this cookie dough be saved???

[no mayonnaise]

My friend and I were baking some cookies. I told him the recipe called for 2 sticks of butter, each being 113 grams, for a total of 226 grams. So he weighed out the butter while I was preparing the dry ingredients.

It turns out he only put half of the needed butter in and I didn't even really look very closely before I started adding the sugar to the standing mixer to cream it. We cook together all the time; I don't usually double check on his work if we're collaborating. I thought it looked a bit off while I was mixing it but once I added the eggs it seemed OK. Then when all the dry ingredients were added I very quickly realized it was super dry.
Did I mention this friend also spilled about a tablespoon of smoked paprika in the softened butter before any of this even started? He got most of it out of the butter but still, *facepalm*
He may, at this point, be banned from the kitchen for the foreseeable future.

Now I'm not sure how to fix this. I'm understanding the butter creaming with the sugar and eggs is important before adding the dry ingredients so I don't think I can just incorporate another stick of butter to a fully formed dough. Help!!! Please???!!!

[Andy M.]

If the smoked paprika is not an issue, you can incorporate the second stick of butter and proceed. Worst case, the cookies may be a little flat.

[Josie1945]

No Mayonaise,
I would add 1/2 cup mayonaise, Blend it in.
(she ducks and runs) But seriously it would work.

Josie

Originally Posted by no mayonnaise

My friend and I were baking some cookies. I told him the recipe called for 2 sticks of butter, each being 113 grams, for a total of 226 grams. So he weighed out the butter while I was preparing the dry ingredients.

It turns out he only put half of the needed butter in and I didn't even really look very closely before I started adding the sugar to the standing mixer to cream it. We cook together all the time; I don't usually double check on his work if we're collaborating. I thought it looked a bit off while I was mixing it but once I added the eggs it seemed OK. Then when all the dry ingredients were added I very quickly realized it was super dry.
Did I mention this friend also spilled about a tablespoon of smoked paprika in the softened butter before any of this even started? He got most of it out of the butter but still, *facepalm*
He may, at this point, be banned from the kitchen for the foreseeable future.

Now I'm not sure how to fix this. I'm understanding the butter creaming with the sugar and eggs is important before adding the dry ingredients so I don't think I can just incorporate another stick of butter to a fully formed dough. Help!!! Please???!!!

[ShellyCooks]

Try melting the butter that was left out. Mix it into the dough and then chill the dough for several hours or overnight. Good Luck!!

[Somebunny]

Originally Posted by Josie1945

No Mayonaise,
I would add 1/2 cup mayonaise, Blend it in.
(she ducks and runs) But seriously it would work.

Josie

Rofl! She doesn't say much, but she's hilarious!

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Josie1945

No Mayonaise,
I would add 1/2 cup mayonaise, Blend it in.
(she ducks and runs) But seriously it would work.

Josie

My.

First.

Thought.

[Whiskadoodle]

what would happen if you put in some applesauce or yogurt?

[Josie1945]

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by no mayonnaise

My friend and I were baking some cookies. I told him the recipe called for 2 sticks of butter, each being 113 grams, for a total of 226 grams. So he weighed out the butter while I was preparing the dry ingredients.

It turns out he only put half of the needed butter in and I didn't even really look very closely before I started adding the sugar to the standing mixer to cream it. We cook together all the time; I don't usually double check on his work if we're collaborating. I thought it looked a bit off while I was mixing it but once I added the eggs it seemed OK. Then when all the dry ingredients were added I very quickly realized it was super dry.
Did I mention this friend also spilled about a tablespoon of smoked paprika in the softened butter before any of this even started? He got most of it out of the butter but still, *facepalm*
He may, at this point, be banned from the kitchen for the foreseeable future.

Now I'm not sure how to fix this. I'm understanding the butter creaming with the sugar and eggs is important before adding the dry ingredients so I don't think I can just incorporate another stick of butter to a fully formed dough. Help!!! Please???!!!

Just a thought - could you grate the dough coarsely and then chop up the "left out" butter and rub it in?

[Steve Kroll]

I think it was fixable up until you mentioned smoked paprika. That would be the deal breaker for me. I would toss the whole thing and start over at that point.

Or you could make them up as is and pawn them off on unsuspecting friends or coworkers as some sort of weird Spanish tapas.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

What flavor is the cookie? Adding the needed butter won't cause you any problems, as long as you work it as little as possible. Make sure the butter is very soft.The issue is that the eggs (and the butter to a small degree) contain water. As the flour is worked in the presence of water, the flour proteins (gluten) begin to become elastic. This will either make the cookies more bread-like, or just plain tough. They won't be that soft, gooey cookie that you're looking for.

If you carefully add the remaining butter, preferably by hand, without overworking the dough, you will have no issues.

The smoked paprika will actually work with some flavors, such as butterscotch, and chocolate chip (if it has brown sugar in the recipe). I've actually added crisp, smoke bacon bits (freshly made) to my butterscotch cookies before, with rave reviews. But, it won't go will all cookie flavors.

Hope that helps.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North