Basic Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies - problem

[Baker2040]

Hi everyone! New here and hoping some advice would help me become a better cook and baker!

I bake as often as I can. I still live at home and my mother does all the cooking, so trying to find a time to have the kitchen all to myself is scarce! And sometimes with work i get too busy or tired to do anything. I don't have any formal training and nor have i taken a class, though I'd love to someday.

I like baking more than cooking. I enjoy making cookies as well. Here is my problem with them - they end up getting hard too fast after they are baked. Can someone tell me why? I follow the recipe as it is in front of me. I remember only one time have i made them soft and moist, but don't remember how that happened.

The recipe is a basic one, as I remember it: 2.5 cups of flour - i used unbleached because it just said 'flour,' 2 eggs, 3/4 cups brown sugar & white granular sugar, 1 tspn vanilla, 1 cup butter, 1 cup ch. chips, salt and baking powder. I believe that's all.

The only thing i did wrong was, the eggs, although they were room temp, one however smelled when i had cracked it in a separate cup, it tainted the other egg so i threw them both out and used 2 others from the fridge. I should have removed back up eggs but did not. I always crack my eggs in a separate bowl before entering them. The recipe did not say room temp eggs, but i know when baking, that what we do.

The other thing is, I did not sift the flour, baking powder, salt - the recipe did not call for it. But is that what needs to be done?

Also, the recipe did not call for convection baking of 375 degrees, but I did anyway. Was i wrong?

And the baking time said 10 - 12 min, which I kept, however, they came out a little over done, and more brown. Would it be wise to take them out before 10 minutes? I do remember the ones I made that were soft and moist, that i might have cooked them under 10 minutes and they were very fragile and soft, the way I like them, because i tend to toast them for a minute each time I eat them so I prefer them soft. But was I wrong to convection bake them? And is under ten minutes too little baking time?

Any advice or corrections are appreciated :

 

[Baker2040]

Also, I noticed when I opened the door to see them, the back row were cooked more than the front row, so I turned the baking sheet around. Is that something we need to do?

And lastly, (sorry!), the recipe said they were 'drop' cookies, so i took a cookie scooper and dropped them as balls onto the cooking sheet. Why is it that they NEVER come out completely flat??!! So now i use the bottom of a cup and flatten them and the shape comes out great. So I never understood that as balls, they never spread out completely flat...anyone know why?

 

[Elinor Kugler]

Hi there, hopefully I'll be able to answer your questions

Ok so, for cookies I wouldn't stress about the cold eggs. Recipes like sponge cakes, meringues or mousses call for room temperature eggs because when an egg is at room temperature, it will trap more air bubbles then if it is cold. Meaning that your batter will be a lot fluffier.

Sifting flour always helps to air out the flour, but again, not the end of the world if you didn't.

So for me, your problem was the oven time.
I try not to write the exact oven time on my recipe posts, as every oven is different, one stronger than the other. 10 minutes in one oven, could be 15 or 20 in your oven, or 5 in someone else's.

To me that was the problem. You want to check that their golden brown, or lightly golden brown, have developed a crust on the out side, never bake the exact time that the recipe states. You can even, carefully pick one up and see if its colored on the bottom.

Definitely try again, and I think you should be good

Also, good thing that you turned your tray around! Your oven is probably stronger on one side, had one of those. With cookies, nothing will happen if you open your oven door and turn the tray. On that note, if you're baking a sponge like cake, I would highly recommend you not to, as your cake can collapse.

Was your butter cold, melted, room temperature? Did you cream the butter with the sugar? That will help me answer your last question.

Good luck

 

[Baker2040]

Hi there, hopefully I'll be able to answer your questions

Ok so, for cookies I wouldn't stress about the cold eggs. Recipes like sponge cakes, meringues or mousses call for room temperature eggs because when an egg is at room temperature, it will trap more air bubbles then if it is cold. Meaning that your batter will be a lot fluffier.

Sifting flour always helps to air out the flour, but again, not the end of the world if you didn't.

So for me, your problem was the oven time.
I try not to write the exact oven time on my recipe posts, as every oven is different, one stronger than the other. 10 minutes in one oven, could be 15 or 20 in your oven, or 5 in someone else's.

To me that was the problem. You want to check that their golden brown, or lightly golden brown, have developed a crust on the out side, never bake the exact time that the recipe states. You can even, carefully pick one up and see if its colored on the bottom.

Definitely try again, and I think you should be good

Also, good thing that you turned your tray around! Your oven is probably stronger on one side, had one of those. With cookies, nothing will happen if you open your oven door and turn the tray. On that note, if you're baking a sponge like cake, I would highly recommend you not to, as your cake can collapse.

Was your butter cold, melted, room temperature? Did you cream the butter with the sugar? That will help me answer your last question.

Good luck

 

[Baker2040]

Hi, thanks for your reply and help!
Yes, I've realized the oven convection baking was the culprit. I will try again and bake them regularly.
I will try to sift the flour, just to make a better mix of those ingredients. I had a sifter that had a handle that you squeeze to sift, however, I was surprised to see it rusted quite quickly after 2 washes. I find my regular strainer takes too much time.

With regards to my butter, it was room temp. I used 1.5 sticks on purpose, not 2 sticks, for health reasons, but I won't try that the second time, for baking reasons. They were not as 'oily' this time around, and i'm sure it had some effect. However, i have used two sticks before, as required, and as 'drop' cookies, they still did not spread out completely flat. So from now on, I just flatten them out.

Also, lastly, if I completely flatten them and use a shaped cookie cutter, should i just cut the baking time, being that they're already flat? And given my strong oven? Thanks again!

 

[Baker2040]

Also, is there such thing as beating the butter/sugar too much? And when you slowly add flour? How long do you beat? And with what speed - if 5 is the highest speed, i keep it on 2...should i use speed 3? Or doesn't it matter?

 

[Elinor Kugler]

Hi, my pleasure

My handle sifter did the same to me, so I just don't wash my new one anymore. I only use it for flour, so I just dry clean it and store.

Room temperature butter is ideal, as it will cream easier. As for your question if there is such a thing as beating the butter/sugar too much? I know it will just continue to cream until it can't anymore. Note that as you cream it more, it will change the texture of your cookie, because you're incorporating small air bubbles into the butter/sugar cream.

So, beat until creamed and well combined, about 2 -3 minutes, at medium speed, then at low speed, slowly add a 1/3 of the flour mix, combine, add the egg 1 at a time, until well combined, then the left over 2/3 of the flour.
This step simply insures that you won't break your batter, that it will stay emulsified.

It's no problem changing the size of your cookie, just as long as you also change the baking time. So, watch the cookies until they're lightly/ golden brown and remember, the flatter, smaller they are, the less you'll have to bake them.
Good luck