I’m a pretty good cook. I read a lot of cookbooks, I’m not afraid to experiment, and aside from the ravioli incident I don’t usually have too much trouble. But for some reason I cannot, for the life of me, successfully make chocolate chip cookies. A four layer chocolate cake from scratch? Not a problem. Pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger crust? Child’s play. Oatmeal butterscotch cookies are easy as pie. But chocolate chip cookies? I suck.
They always look lovely when I open the oven door, but as soon as they hit the air of the kitchen they begin to spread and flatten, leaving pockmarked crepes with bulbous chocolate chip lumps. Not pretty. Tasty, but not pretty. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’ve experimented with the temperature of the butter, I’ve used the stand mixer, a hand mixer and my hands to mix. I’ve tried the recipe on the chip bag and the recipes in three different cookbooks. I’ve put them on the cookie sheet in rounded tablespoons and teaspoons wondering if it was the size of the uncooked dough that was the problem. I bought new baking soda. I still fuck it up every time.
Natasha Laumei | 22-Mar-07 at 1:24 pm | Permalink
I have the SAME problem. Every time, every recipe. They’re either flat and bubbly or little dry mounds. Let me know you if you figure this one out.
And happy birthday.
Gabbiana | 22-Mar-07 at 5:48 pm | Permalink
Man, I dunno. I just follow the recipe on the Toll House chip bag (and I nuke the butter to liquid, GASP, and use a fork to stir), but I’m also willing to put up with burned bottoms, so, y’know, ignore me. (Just the bottoms burn, not the rest of the cookies; I’m told I need wax paper, but that’d require, I dunno, buying wax paper.) (Burned cookie bottoms = excuse to eat cookies with vanilla ice cream. Clearly.) Anyway. I think what I’m saying is, if the cookies taste good, who cares? Store-bought cookies are pretty but taste like ass.
Totally uneducated thoughts, though: Where are you putting the cookies once you get them out of the oven? Are you leaving them on the pan to cool? Do you have a cooling rack? (I don’t, hence leaving cookies on the pan to cool for a minute or two before transfer to paper towels = burned bottoms.) Have you tried covering the cookie sheets and/or the cooling cookies with aluminum foil, in the oven (to conserve moisture) or while cooling (so they cool more slowly)?
Okay, those are all my brilliant ideas. The internet gourmets can commence their laughter… now.
Krystle | 23-Mar-07 at 7:03 am | Permalink
I completely agree. Can’t make chocolate chip cookies, to save my ever lovin’ soul.
And, happy late birthday!
julie / perdita | 23-Mar-07 at 2:55 pm | Permalink
I always use the tollhouse recipe, but my trick is to take the cookies out a couple minutes before they are done (just a little doughy looking in the center) and I let them finish cooking on the pan (since I have no cooling rack). They contract a bit, finish cooking, but still have a rather soft center (which is what I prefer, but may not be to everyone’s taste).
VWB | 24-Mar-07 at 11:33 pm | Permalink
I have used the Toll House successfully for almost 30 years with 2 changes…switch from butter to Crisco and add 1/4-1/2 cup extra flour depending on humidity. The dough will be stiff enough for you to roll between your hands and pinch off cookie size pieces. Yum yum!