Baking cookies

[purrfectlydevine]

I made a recipe for peanut butter cookies and the directions said to drop by rounded tablespoons. The yield was 3 1/2 dozen. I used a cookie scoop that holds 1 measuring tablespoon and rounded it. I got about 8 dozen. I know the cookie scoop holds 1 measuring tablespoon because I measured it with water befire I used it. What gives?

 

[htc]

Don't have an answer for you, but I find the same thing happens to me.

 

[marmalady]

You did good! I usually end up with less than the recipe says! (But maybe that's because everyone who walks through the kitchen has to taste the cookie dough! )

 

[licia]

Just consider it a bonus. You can probably freeze some of them and eat them later.

 

[KAYLINDA]

I can never get the amounts out of a recipe that they say...but mine are usually less. Guess I just make bigger cookies than most people.

 

[pdswife]

I always get less also... but, in my case I think it's because I love
cookie dough more than I love cookies.

 

[Michael in FtW]

I made a recipe for peanut butter cookies and the directions said to drop by rounded tablespoons. The yield was 3 1/2 dozen. I used a cookie scoop that holds 1 measuring tablespoon and rounded it. I got about 8 dozen. I know the cookie scoop holds 1 measuring tablespoon because I measured it with water befire I used it. What gives?

You've basically answered your own question without realizing it.

You used a "measured" tablespoon scoop - the author of the recipe probably just used a tablespoon out of the silverware drawer ... a tablespoon that you would normally use on the dinner table. And, you don't know how rounded his/her spoon was ...

Basically - your cookies should have been twice, plus a little, as big.

But - if they turned out good ... what does it matter??

 

[corazon]

I will take some of those cookies, if you need help getting rid of them!

 

[purrfectlydevine]

They were good, some of the best peanut butter cookies I ever baked. I'd never made this recipe before and the mixing instructions were a wee bit different than usual. I was curious, since I usually come closer to the listed yield than that.

 

[purrfectlydevine]

I am baking like crazy because my church is serving a meal for an organization called Helping Hand for the Homeless. We could use store-bought cookies, but I think homemade sends a message that somebody does care.

 

[daisy]

There's the possibility that the recipe was originally English or Australian. Anywhere else but America, actually.

Only in America do tablespoons measure only 3 teaspoons. Elsewhere, tablespoons measure 4 teaspoons.

That may account for the extra cookies. Either way, they would have been decent-sized cookies. I usually use a heaped teaspoon.

 

[AllenOK]

I always use a level #40 portion scoop for each cookie, then slightly flatten it before baking.

I really like your idea of using homemade cookies. That's a great idea.

 

[Von Glassoff]

So purrfectlydevine,
Are you going to share the recipe with us? I agree with you about making the cookies homemade. I don't care if a person is homeless or who you are you can tell if they are homemade. Where I go to church I am in a group at church called Care Ministry and we bring homemade cookies in a gift bag to any new people that visit. Some people resorted to not making homemade. I think homemade does say you care. I even bought a cookbook that is nothing but cookies. Any good cookie recipe that someone can share would be greatly appreciated.

 

[purrfectlydevine]

The recipes are copyrighted so I'll have to PM a site helper or administrator to see if they can be posted.

 

[daisy]

Recipes cannot be copywritten. Or, strictly speaking, ingredient lists cannot be copywritten, but methods can. You can get around this by altering the wording slightly. For instance, if the recipe says 'stir continually', all you have to do is say 'stir constantly' and you've covered yourself. It's perfectly legal to do this. You can also change the title.

 

[htc]

Or do what I do, and just make sure to give credit to the person/book that it comes from.

 

[Floridagirl]

Daisy is right, just say it with your own words.

 

[Von Glassoff]

Thank you so very much Purrfectlydevine. I am looking forward to making these.

 

[Alix]

Hey all, I'm going to give those cookie recipes their own threads. Go look for them.