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Topic: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!  (Read 2282 times)

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about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« on: January 06, 2008, 05:45:55 PM »
I don't know what it is about this year, but I have had terrible luck with my cookies. They have all come out very flat and I don't recall that happening so much before.

Today I made one of my all time favorite recipes and I upped the flour content significantly as Meg suggested in other threads. Bizarrely, this has resulted in half the cookies on the tray being about the right shape, but the others are completely flat!!! From the SAME tray!! And from all over it, so I don't think a hot or cold spot in the oven would make sense.

My camera batteries have just died or I'd take a pic. It is so frustrating. These cookies are supposed to be rolled in powdered sugar after baking... which is a bit hard to do when they are flat!!!

I'm going to have to stick with pies... :P
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. ~ John Lennon

Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2008, 05:54:50 PM »
Your cookies might be flat, but they taste great!  ;D
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2008, 05:55:09 PM »
Hmmm. Did you up the baking powder a bit? That has helped mine a lot. And is your baking powder in date? I just did a cupboard clear out before Christmas and was shocked that my baking powder was WELL out of date. I chucked it out and replaced and (touch wood) my cookies turned out pretty well this year....
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2008, 06:00:48 PM »
I'm finding it a lot easier using a cookie scoop and a nice firm dough.  I've got a killer recipe for cranberry oatmeal cookies if you want it  :)
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2008, 06:01:29 PM »
Quote from: balmerhon on January 06, 2008, 05:45:55 PM
These cookies are supposed to be rolled in powdered sugar after baking... which is a bit hard to do when they are flat!!!



sprinkle or sift the sugar on!  :)
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2008, 06:03:41 PM »
Quote from: Elliejean on January 06, 2008, 06:00:48 PM
I'm finding it a lot easier using a cookie scoop and a nice firm dough. 

Actually that's a brilliant point - sticking butter based dough in the fridge or even the freezer for a bit before shaping can really help!! And I have a tiny scoop just for drop cookies that makes life much easier!!
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2008, 06:32:48 PM »
No baking powder in this recipe (even so, I did just buy new as well). It is butter based and the dough was very firm.

It just doesn't make sense that some of them are flat. I mixed the flour in very well using my KitchenAid, too.

Thanks Genau, I did sprinkle sugar on the flat ones. These babies will NOT being going to waste!
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. ~ John Lennon

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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2008, 06:37:20 PM »
Quote from: pkmac on January 06, 2008, 05:54:50 PM
Your cookies might be flat, but they taste great!  ;D

Awww, thanks!
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. ~ John Lennon

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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2008, 09:33:09 PM »
My suggestion is use UK recipes.  My US recipes NEVER come out right so I just gave up-too many variables.
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2008, 09:35:22 PM »
Brain wave:  Are the flat ones from later batches (i.e. were you dropping them onto a hot cookie sheet)?  If you don't wait for the sheet to cool sufficiently between batches, they can spread too quickly and end up flat. 
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2008, 10:14:13 PM »
Quote from: Lindy. on January 06, 2008, 09:33:09 PM
My suggestion is use UK recipes.  My US recipes NEVER come out right so I just gave up-too many variables.

That's been my policy too.  The only US cookie recipe that has ever worked properly for me has been snickerdoodles.
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2008, 10:35:23 PM »
Quote from: Cait on January 06, 2008, 10:14:13 PM
That's been my policy too.  The only US cookie recipe that has ever worked properly for me has been snickerdoodles.

How much extra flour did you put in to get them to turn out okay? Did you use plain flour?

I ask because I made snickerdoodles today (Haunted's recipe) and they were as flat as flat can be :(  Taste good, but not pretty or presentable at all! 
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2008, 10:42:14 PM »
Quote from: Lindy. on January 06, 2008, 09:33:09 PM
My suggestion is use UK recipes.  My US recipes NEVER come out right so I just gave up-too many variables.

I was just going to suggest that! I have no problems with US recipes, but I do bring Calumet Baking Powder back from the states with me!
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2008, 11:13:16 PM »
Quote from: Yael on January 06, 2008, 10:35:23 PM
How much extra flour did you put in to get them to turn out okay? Did you use plain flour?

I ask because I made snickerdoodles today (Haunted's recipe) and they were as flat as flat can be :(  Taste good, but not pretty or presentable at all! 

Straight from a Betty Crocker 1970's cookbook, nothing altered.  I have US measuring cups and used plain flour (if I remember rightly).
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Re: about to give up on cookie baking in the UK!!!
« Reply #14 on: January 07, 2008, 02:03:40 PM »
I haven't had a problem with my cookies here, I just use strong white flour, but I am not sure any of my cookies needed baking powder. 

All my cakes turn out fine as well.

I did have some trouble with a batch of chocolate chips that turned out not quite right and a cream cheese chocolate cupcakes, but those were my own stupid measuring faults. 

Well, with the cake the top of the salt popped off and I was holding it over the batter.  Never again!  I was all out of chocolate powder so I had to scrape the salt out of it.  It was ok, but not great.

But we have a fan assisted oven, perhaps this is why.
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