Why are my chocolate chip cookies more cakey than crispy or chewy?
Asked by
noname50 (
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)
December 13th, 2010
I’ve been making Toll House Cookies since I was a kid. They used to be really good. In recent years, they seem to come out thicker, more cakey like. They used to be thinner, more crisp. The cookie part would essentially bake down around the chips and pecans. Totally great. Now, they “rise” more. Is it to much flour? Butter not soft enough? My sister, who NEVER baked or even cooked, started making them about 3 years ago and I’m telling you, hers are perfect. Just baked some this afternoon, but going to call her and ask her to bake some for me and mail them out asap.
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21 Answers
Are you using self-raising flour perhaps?
Check your measurements. Butter should be a little less than flour. Bi-Carb of soda???
Sugar half granulated and half brown
I had so many problems getting consistency in my cookie batches. Then I saw this alton brown episode
where he gives the secrets to the 3 different kinds of Tollhouse cookies.
I prefer the chewy, personally.
The types of baking pans you are using also have an effect. Some cause spreaders, others cakers. Are you putting them on parchment paper? I had the opposite problem for a long time and someone here (Harp) told me to refrigerate the cookies on the pans overnight. Now I get good, clumpy cookies. It could also be to do with the oven you are using. I also use a ¼ cup more flour than the recipe calls for to get clumpier cookies; perhaps you could decrease yours slightly?
@ Tropical – Yep, yep and yep. Been doing this recipe for ages. Straight from the Nestle’s bag of chips. I’m going to take off a touch of the flour on the next batch, just a bit, ¼ cup or so. Sometimes, if I made cookies on a whim, I would use margarine instead of butter. Could that be it?
Look up alton browns recipes for chewy, crispy and cakey chocolate chip cookies, he did a whole episode on the science of chewy vs cakey vs crispy cookies :) you can prob find the episode online
Thanks for the alton tip. I will check it out.
@noname50 That’s the episode I linked to above.
@blueroses good stuff! I missed that post while I was writing I think! I like the chewy too!
Sometimes they start on the crisp side and will get a little chewy. I usually store them in a plastic, (tupper ware ish) container. We always made tons of them and it seemed like that got softer with time, no stale though, but good.
@Blueroses he is awesome…my mom and I watch him all the time….what I can’t stand are those skinny as a rail chicks making all kindsa deserts (yes im looking at you giada delaurentis!) And you know dang well they don’t eat anything but air and celery water LOL….butter me up an episode of paula deen anyday!
LMAO at “celery water”! Made me think, I bet our Miss Paula would have a killer cookie recipe. Must try this.
@noname50 I’m pretty sure the butter/margarine issue makes a big difference. When I used a really cheap margarine that was high in water content, my baking was dreadful.
I’m in the cult of nothing but butter.
Cut the butter amount in half, and use Crisco shortening.
@noname50 I need that recipe. There I try to make my cookies more cake like but they never end up like that. Maybe too much baking powder or soda?
Margarine vs. butter would make a difference, as would the amount of flour. I use the recipe from the bag, too.
I only ever use butter in anything or oils (olive coconut etc….)
For chewiness, try a recipe that uses melted butter. (My favorite recipe, from Cook’s Illustrated, actually has you brown the butter in a skillet for added flavor).
For crispiness, your sugar needs to be fully dissolved into the dough. The easiest way to do this is to just put your dough in the fridge overnight; your cookies will be much crispier and better flavored, too.
If you haven’t done so, swap ½ or all of the white sugar for brown.
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