Why are my cookies awful?

Ugh...I'm so frustrated with all the cookies I've baked here in Scotland!!!  In Seattle, I was great at making cookies.  Without fail, they were fluffy, flavorful and had great texture - a far cry from all my cookie attempts since I've arrived here, and I can't figure out what's causing the problem.  I've lived in two flats here in Glasgow: one with a fan-assisted oven and one (our current flat) with a gas oven.  In my former life, I always baked using an electric stove.  But I suspect it's not an oven thing at all.  I'm just having trouble figuring out what the problem is.   

My biggest cookie complaint is that they go flat almost as soon as I pop them in the oven and by the time they're done baking, they're practically two-dimensional - flatter than pancakes!  They're not soft at all, and by the next day, they're as brittle as can be.

WHAT IS WRONG?  Have any of you had this problem?  I do suspect that it might have something to do with the terrible baking sheet we're using, but before I go off and spend a fortune on a super fancy baking sheet, I thought I'd poll the audience.  This is so frustrating.  I haven't made a good batch of cookies since I got here, and that's not like me at all!  Please help if you can!

In the US, did you use shortening in yours?

In the US, did you use shortening in yours?

No, I used margarine, but I hadn't considered that before.  I'm using butter now and that could be what's making them so flat.

Thanks!  I'm definitely going to test out a batch with shortening next weekend instead of butter.

Try using extra flour or strong white bread flour.

It's most likely the butter thing. Also, if your American recipe calls for large eggs, use a medium UK egg. The large eggs in the UK are much larger than the US large eggs. US large is closer to UK medium.

It could also definitely be your oven.

I use one of those baking dishes that allows air to flow through, I got it in Lakeland years ago but I'll see if I can't find it in the catalogue.

 

I had a gas oven before I had my kitchen redone, and I was not able to bake a thing! I make cookies with butter and have no problems at all...I think gas ovens are particularly difficult to bake in.

Sorry!

Mindy: Thanks, I might try using extra/different flour and see what happens.  The dough definitely has a "wet" texture to it that I'm trying to eliminate.

Bmore_2_UK: Good egg advice.  I've been using medium eggs, so I think I'm okay there.  I'll definitely try shortening or margarine next time.

expat_in_scotland: I'm sure changing the baking sheet couldn't hurt.  The one we have now is rubbish.  Hopefully, my mom will come out this summer and she'll bring me one of those Air-Bake sheets.

Racheeeeee: Aw!  One more tough adjustment about this new flat.  Well, we're here long-term so I'd better find a way to make it work!  I won't give up hope!!!

Thanks, folks.  Really helpful stuff here.

expat_in_scotland: I'm sure changing the baking sheet couldn't hurt.  The one we have now is rubbish.  Hopefully, my mom will come out this summer and she'll bring me one of those Air-Bake sheets.

That's what I've got!  Sadly, it doesn't look like Lakeland stocks them anymore, but I paid about 25 quid for that thing!

I think it's more likely to be the butter and/or flour than the gas oven. I always had a gas oven in the US and never had any baking problems.

Are you using US recipes and US measuring utensils? You can't interchange UK measurements with US because measuring cups are different sizes. A good way to fix this is to switch to grams and measure ingredients on a scale.

Are you using US recipes and US measuring utensils? You can't interchange UK measurements with US because measuring cups are different sizes. A good way to fix this is to switch to grams and measure ingredients on a scale.

NOOOO!  Resist the Dark Side!

NOOOO!  Resist the Dark Side!

Heheeee!

That's a good point, though, pkmac. I like the precision of weighing my ingredients. Have a look at the Just Do It: Cooking in the UK thread for conversion resources.

NOOOO!  Resist the Dark Side!

What? Is using a scale (sorry, refuse to say scales when there is only 1) the darkside?

What? Is using a scale (sorry, refuse to say scales when there is only 1) the darkside?

Yes, it is.  Stick to cups and spoons like a good American.