Why aren't my chocolate chip cookies coming out the way I'd like them?

Question

I'm making chocolate chip cookies. Am I doing something wrong if my cookies look flat on top, and soft, and brown on the bottom. They're soft on top and are crunchier at the bottom. They taste fully cooked and good, but not exactly like cookies should right? Am I undercooking them or preparing them a wrong way? Or is this normal?

Here's the recipe I used, and the picture that's on the page.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 bags (12 oz each) semisweet chocolate chips (2 to 4 cups)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs until well blended. Beat in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Answer 1

What you're describing is something that I'd consider normal in a cookie. Some cookies are more cake-like, some are chewy, some are crunchy, some are flatter than others - but they're all good. Almost any factor - from the type of fat, to the type of liquid, to the leavener, to the temperature of both the oven and the dough can affect the cookie's texture. I'd make two recommendations if you want your cookie less flat: 1) chill the dough for a few hours, or overnight. Then, form them and get them into the oven quickly, while the dough is stone cold. 2) Try a different recipe. Do a visual internet search for the type of cookie that you're after. Good recipes are hard to find, and sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs...

Answer 2

Here is a link to a site on 'the science of the best chocolate chip cookies'. It breaks down the different ingredients in standard chocolate chip cookie recipes and explains what they do.

One of the observations was this:

Making cookies with varying degrees of both soda and powder, I found that baking powder generally produces cakier cookies that rise higher during baking, producing smoother, shinier tops, while soda yields cookies that are craggier and denser in texture

The site also experiments with alterations (different flours, sweeteners, creamed butter vs melted, baking soda vs powder, etc) and shows/describes the results. Perhaps it can help you alter your recipe to achieve the cookie consistency you're aiming for.

Answer 3

It sounds like you're describing cookies that aren't rising. Make sure you're using baking soda not baking powder. You can add flour a little at a time if the dough seems too wet. If your cookies still come out flat pop the dough in the fridge for about an hour before baking.

Answer 4

Chocolate chip cookies very depending on your oven, altitude, and cookie sheet. I split the baking soda with powder for a thivk moist cookie! Play with your recipe until you have a cookie to your liking