Why do cookies come out flat

We all have our favorites, from Original Tollhouse to white chocolate macadamia. But the basic ingredients usually go something like this:. The procedure generally calls for combining the dry ingredients, then the wet, and then the two together. Chips go in last. However, when we understand a little about how ingredients combine and work together, we begin to see how to improve our techniques. Cream it gently with the sugars until you have a light, fluffy consistency.

Butter that melts prematurely is responsible for many a flat cookie. Managing it is the basis for most of our tips that follow. They contain too much moisture and tend to spread even more than butter will. Some bakers use half butter and half shortening.

Once your dough is mixed, put the bowl of dough in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Then spoon the cool dough out onto your baking sheets — a word about them in a minute. If you have room, place the whole cookie sheet full of portioned dough into the fridge for another 10 minutes or so. Then put the pan into a preheated oven to bake.

Remember that butter has a low melting point. That means it has a tendency to start to melt while we are still making the dough, and before it hits the oven. By keeping it chilled, melting is delayed until the cookie begins to rise and bake, resulting in a thicker final product. Line baking pans with parchment paper or Silpat nonstick liners , or use nonstick pans instead of greasing. Silpat is the highest quality silicone tray liner on the market.

Available on Amazon. If you use parchment, change sheets between batches. Also, let pans cool completely between batches. If neither were the mistake, it was probably a too-hot pan that caused the spreading.

Cool your cookie sheet before baking another batch. How to Avoid it: Allow your butter to come to room temperature—then cut it into pieces. The perfect temp should take about 30 minutes. Cool your cookie sheet in between batches—allow the sheet to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, then run under cold water and dry—this will cool the sheet without it warping.

Just like us, cookies need a little breathing room—otherwise, they have a meltdown! How to Fix it: Make a snack of your cookie clump or break it into pieces and use it as a topper for your ice cream sundae! How to Avoid it: Give your cookies space You should be able to fit a dozen cookies onto a sheet. Remember to let your cookie sheets cool in between batches or your dough will spread.

The reason your cookies may be crispy and slightly burnt is because you use too much sugar. Sugar burns very easily, and if you are wondering why are my sugar cookies flat and crispy, that could be the problem period too much sugar was used in the recipe. I often have problems with recipes I find online and how much sugar they call for. I am not someone who likes very sweet desserts anyways.

So, I adjust the recipe accordingly to suit my taste and I find that helps with the crispiness of the desert as well, particularly with cookies. How much sugar you use affects how crispy your muffins, cookies, cake , and other baked goods come out. Because I minimise how much sugar I use, that makes it less likely that my food will come out crispy.

It tends to be softer and more tender because of the limited amount of sugar I use in the recipe. You can try this as well and limit how much sugar you use and see if that makes your cookies come out softer and more pillowy.

Both of those contribute to hard, crispy cookies. This is the problem of cookies being too thick and too heavy period maybe you already know what the issue is and you know how to fix it. Did you guess too much flour? The more flour you use, the denser your cookies will be in the end. Consider modifying the recipe to have less flour in it, if your cookies come out too thick and heavy.

You just have to learn from it and do something different next time, perhaps writing down a different recipe or making modifications to the recipe to ensure that your cookies come out properly. Another reason that your cookies may be too thick and heavy is because you are using too few eggs. Here's how to bake perfect cookies from scratch. Find our most popular cookie recipes —from the best chocolate chip cookies to big soft ginger cookies to chewy coconut cookies— here.

Get tips for freezing cookies and cookie dough : a smart make-ahead solution for holiday baking. September 30, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Pin FB Share. Chewy Sugar Cookies. Photo by Melissa Goff. Using all butter instead of butter and oil or shortening Baking at too low a temperature, used room temperature dough Too much liquid in the dough Placing the dough on a warm baking sheet.

Decrease the amount of butter and sugar. Use shortening instead of butter, or a combination of the two if you don't want to sacrifice that buttery flavor. Add an egg to the dough. Use cake flour or pastry flour. Use baking powder instead of baking soda; if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda, you would use 3 to 4 teaspoons baking powder.