It's true! Well, sort of. I don't really hate the chocolate chip cookie. They are after all, very yummy! I just hate baking them!!!! They NEVER come out good. Wait, let me clarify again. They come out tasting okay, they just don't look good. And darn it, I want them to look pretty! I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've tried different recipes, and today I tried using a different brand of flour and sugar. Maybe it's because I mix everything by hand instead of using a mixer. Or maybe it's because I spray the cookie sheets when it says to place on an ungreased one. Or maybe it's because the chocolate chip cookie can sense that my speciality cookie is the snickerdoodle. Yes, I can make a mean snickerdoodle. I guess that's what I'm going to have to live with making forever. Which I'm okay with. Not to toot my own horn but they're SOOOO good :)
Like I said, the chocolate chip cookies came out tasting okay. I just don't know why they look so bad. Now, the batch I made today showed a little bit of improvement. They weren't AS flat as usual. Usually they come out paper thin and hollow underneath. Don't ask me how that happens but of I can produce something that comes hollow while being so thin, I guess that's a talent...right? So I'm thinking the change in flour and/or sugar brands made a little bit of a difference. I don't know. All I know is that I want them to look like the cookies on the Toll House® commercials that we've all seen. And yes, that's the recipe I used today. You know, one would think that with my having a mom who makes beautiful and yummy cakes, I'd be able to make a simple chocolate chip cookie! WRONG!
Any advice? Until then, I guess I'll stick with my snickerdoodles :)
Here are my thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. Use a non-stick cookie sheet, no spray. I use the calphalon cookie sheets.
2. Are you melting the butter? That will change the consistency of the final product. Just make sure the butter is soft.
3. DARK brown sugar? That will make a big difference, both in taste and color.
4. Your cookies are pretty large - maybe try making them just a tad smaller?
5. How long are you cooking them? I find 10 minutes to be the perfect amount of time.
6. I use the same recipe - the NTH. Add a tad bit more vanilla and more chocolate chips. The additional chips will help with your "too thin" problem as well.
7. I use a kitchen aid now, but I used to mix them by hand all the time. That shouldn't make too much of a difference.
Hope that helps. Try ONE more time. :) LK
Got to love you...You don't give up. Will have to get together and try again soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you mom :)
ReplyDeleteLisa-Kay, thank you so much for the suggestions! I do use non-stick cookie sheets. They're the air bake ones so maybe that's my problem. Hmm... I don't melt the butter, just make sure it's softened. I use light brown sugar, guess I'll try the dark next time. I'll try making them smaller next time too. I didn't think I made them that big, they just spread like crazy to make them look big. I keep them in for 10 minutes too. I put the whole bag of chocolate chips in but I'll add more next time. That can never be a bad thing :) I know that if I added nuts it would help too, but Anthony can't have them so I leave them out.
Thank you for all the advice. I guess I'll have to try again... :)
Mmmmm Snickerdoodles! Mmmmm!! :)
ReplyDelete