Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Why are my chocolate cookies coming out flat as a pancake? I am following the recipe to a tee.

By Melanie from Chicago, IL

Answers: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Read answers for this question below.

By 11/29/2010

Refrigerate the cookie dough and make sure is cold before placing on the cookie sheet, and add a 1/4 extra flour. Guaranteed no more flat cookies :)

By 06/02/2010

I've been trying to figure this out for a while. It baffled me because i used the exact same recipe as before. Tried all sorts of things with chilling the batter, convection/not convection, different oven temps, different flour etc. But i finally found the solution: Use Baking Powder! I apparently was using baking soda when they all came out flat. Baking powder makes them more fluffy.

By 04/20/2010

The previous ideas are worth trying. I have found that when the recipe says butter (or stick margarine), softened, don't soften it in microwave or oven. Let it sit out on counter for 30 minutes. Too soft butter will cause the cookies to flatten. Never use tub margarine. Also, parchment paper on cookie sheets works better than without. Cookie sheets should be cool with each batch. CayC from FL

By 04/20/2010

I use half butter and half Crisco in mine. That seems to help, and you might also try using different cookie sheets. There is a huge difference in using dark sheets, shiny sheets, etc.

By 04/19/2010

I would rather have flat cookies than to put crisco in them. I use butter and a little more flour and they taste wonderful.

By 04/19/2010

I use Crisco butter flavor shortening instead of butter. My cookies never come out flat no matter how warm the cookie sheets are or how much flour I use. Also, always make sure your baking powder is fresh.

By 04/19/2010

I am not sure but if you use Crisco in your cookie recipe, it might be that as they have changed the way Crisco is made.
No saturated fats are in it, I believe but it is not the same old Crisco we relied on before.

By 04/19/2010

If I use tub margarine it will make my cookies spread out. Also, check to see if your baking powder or baking soda are old. That will effect how much your cookies raise too.

By 04/19/2010

After many years of experimenting I found that adding about a half cup of flour fixes that problem.

By 04/18/2010

I use half butter and half shortening in my recipe. Sometimes butter will flatten cookies.

By 04/17/2010

Check out this website to find your solution: http://www.baking911.com/cookies/problems.htm#Shrinks

Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

I need everyone's help. I used to make the best chocolate chip cookies, everyone loved them. For the last 3-4 years, I cannot make a good batch.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Why do all my cookies come out flat? Please help.

By Ann from Tipp City, OH

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Use a little bit of baking soda. (12/15/2009)

By mandihere

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Well you might be using too little dough. Make sure that when you scoop up the dough, take more than what you need so when it spreads out you still have some there, but don't use too much or they won't cook thoroughly. (12/15/2009)

By Persephone102

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

I have a cookie recipe book, and in the forward the author tells there was competition within the family for the best cookie recipe. Her cookies were crispier and flatter than her dad's. Eventually she found out that he was using shortening, while she was using butter. Maybe that's what's happening with you?

Also, if your fat (butter or shortening) is too warm/soft, it will cause the cookie to spread out too quickly during baking making a flat cookie.

My mom would probably love your cookies. She prefers a crisp cookie and thinks soft cookies seem undercooked. Best of luck finding the right solution. Hope you get your cookie groove back. (12/15/2009)

By mrs.story

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

http://www.baking911.com/cookies/problems.htm

Website will answer all of your questions. (12/15/2009)

By MCW

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Try using baking powder or baking soda it will make it rise. You might try using yeast too. (12/16/2009)

By jamal78

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

These things might help:

First, using shortening instead of butter allows the cookies to keep more body.
Second, buy an inexpensive oven thermometer and make sure your oven is really cooking at the temperature is says.
Third, use cooled pans for each batch of cookies. Avoid dark pans (they heat too much). Try non-shiny light colored. Actual aluminum covered with parchment paper works great for me. Non-stick, no cleaning the pans between cookies, and it's a light surface. Aluminum allows the cookies to bake, not melt, and spread. (12/16/2009)

By threehorses

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

I have worked very long and hard (if you call eating all the mistakes hard work) to solve the same problem and found a "cure" that I am happy with. I hope I can explain it well enough so it will work for you, too. I use Crisco butter flavor cubes and follow the Nestles Tollhouse recipe. The adaptations I make are:

use real vanilla
add a splash of milk (nearly a cap full or 2 tsps)
add enough flour to the dough so that when you tap your finger on the top of the pile, no dough really sticks to your finger
increase salt by a smidgeon
bake cookies on a Silpat mat (love it and wouldn't be caught dead without one)
roll dough into balls, test one in preheated oven to see if the result if the height you want. If it stands too tall for your liking, pat the ball of dough down a little. Of course, temperature of dough will make a difference in the end result, also.
I prefer softer texture and will bake for 9 minutes or so, longer for the rock hard texture for my husband's preference.

Good luck.

Shari in WA (12/17/2009)

By Shari Bo

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

If your cookies come out flat, add more flour to your cookie dough, try 3/4 to 1 cup more flour. It works for me. No more flat cookies. Try it.

Wanda (12/17/2009)

By WandaA

RE: Chocolate Chip Cookies Come Out Flat

Have butter about room temperature, mix dough, then pop in the fridge, always keep the dough cold, start out with a cool cookie sheet, line with parchment paper. Remove dough from fridge. I use a cookie dough scoop. Scoop out the cold dough onto the cool baking sheets, bake.

I take them out 1-2 minutes ahead of time, they continue to bake from the hot cookie sheet. Let cool, transfer to a plate or whatever you want them on with paper towels down to absorb the extra oils. While waiting for the cookies to bake put the dough back in the fridge then line with a new piece of parchment paper. Put the cookies on a cool baking sheet and continue doing that until all the dough has been baked. (02/02/2010)

By djxn