Choc Chip Cookies Flat...why?

[jacksmomtobe]

Ok so the last 2 times I made choc chip cookies they ended up really flat. No ingredients were left out. I am a big baker so I've had my method of baking cookies down pat so I'm wondering why all of a sudden my cookies are turning out flat in order to cook through. Any ideas? I also now that I think of it noticed that one of my other flat style cookies cooked a bit weird when I did all my baking for Christmas. I would appreciate any help in figuring out why this is occurring. They still taste good but are a bit different than usual.

Thanks!

[wellyes]

I think egg is the key to non-flatness. Maybe it's your batch of eggs? Usually you buy large but this time you accidentally picked up mediums?

[egoldber]

How old is your baking powder?

[Beth24]

Did you change your cookie sheets by any chance?

[crl]

Have you been melting the butter instead of just having it softened? That can cause cookies to be flat.

Catherine

[karstmama]

are you preheating long enough that they get a heat blast & 'set up'? is your dough warmer than usual?

i volunteer to be your quality control officer - let me know if you need me to pm you my address! :ROTFLMAO:

[jacksmomtobe]

Here are the answers to everyone's questions...
*They were made with different batches of eggs. I "always" buy large brown eggs but the brand may have differed.
*Cookie sheets old
*Just softening butter
*Is is cold here so the dough should not have been any warmer than normal
*during christmas I was definitely had a hot oven because I was constantly cooking cookies
*Old baking soda...a possibility.

Hmmm...maybe it's the baking soda?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Here are the answers to everyone's questions...
*They were made with different batches of eggs. I "always" buy large brown eggs but the brand may have differed.
*Cookie sheets old
*Just softening butter
*Is is cold here so the dough should not have been any warmer than normal
*during christmas I was definitely had a hot oven because I was constantly cooking cookies
*Old baking soda...a possibility.

Hmmm...maybe it's the baking soda?

At Christmas when you were making lots of cookies, were you putting the dough on the hot sheets? That usually leads to melting and flattening before they get cooked.

Beth

[DrSally]

At Christmas when you were making lots of cookies, were you putting the dough on the hot sheets? That usually leads to melting and flattening before they get cooked.

Beth

I bet that's it (or the baking soda). Mmmm, choc chip cookies.

[trentsmom]

Like some other PPs, my guess is the baking soda. I was having cookie baking problems a few years ago and someone here posted to check the expiration date on the soda. I didn't even know that soda had an expiration date! So now I make sure both my baking powder and baking soda are relatively new.

[KHF]

My chocolate chip cookies do that when the baking soda is old. Because it's so cheap, if I'm baking cookies, I just buy a new box.

As an aside, they also do that when you forget to add flour :bag That happened to me when I was first learning to bake as a teenager...it makes edible, but see-through cookies :)

[Beth24]

Yep, baking soda is probably it. I think you need to make a batch with a new box to test our theory. Yum!

[srhs]

Yep, baking soda is probably it. I think you need to make a batch with a new box to test our theory. Yum!

Yes, report back! :thumbsup:
Feel free to mail out samples!

[jacksmomtobe]

Well the baking soda has not reached its expiration date (I think it was 2013?) but I will bake a batch soon with a new box to see what happens. The cookie sheets may have been hot around Christmas but not the last time I baked. I definitely added all the ingredients because as I go because I mark things down on paper esp the flour since the kids tend to interrupt. After I bake with a new box of baking soda I'll let you now how it goes. I didn't want to baked today while we were snowed in knowing I might have flat cookies again.