Preventing cookies for flattening

[cookies247]

Hello! I am new to this forum and, as my avatar and username suggest, I love cookies - baking and eating them! I do have a problem, though, and I'm hoping you can help me. Unless I'm making oatmeal cookies, my other cookies really flatten out. I should say that I always use butter only. I just don't like the thought of using shortening or margarine. I do refrigerate my dough before I bake it - does that make it better or worse?

Any help would be very much appreciated!

 

[cookies247]

Gah, my title should say *from* flattening!

 

[mommy42]

I'm with you cookies247! My cookies are always flat too! Sometimes when I take them out of the oven they will look puffy at first and I get all excited and then poof, they flatten right out!!!
I'd like to know what to do to get them to stay puffier!

I don't like to use margarine or shortening either. I wonder if it is a flour thing? Or high altitude? I live at 4000+ feet. How about you? Or maybe it is the type of cookie sheets we use?
I think the only cookie I make that doesn't end up flat is a gluten free one I make! It gets puffed up and crispy on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside!!

I'm waiting with you to see if there is a solution!! Thanks for bringing this up!!

 

[cookies247]

So glad I am not the only one who's forced to serve flat cookies! I live in NJ...I'm pretty sure that I can't use altitude as an excuse, but maybe you can! I have definitely heard that altitude plays a role in baking/cooking, but I'm not sure if it can cause cookies to flatten. I do sometimes want to blame the humidity (it is SO humid here in the summer), but I'm not sure if I can. Maybe it is the amount of flour? And yes, how cruel is it that the cookies sometimes come out of the oven looking so deceptively puffy only to lose their puff the longer they cool!

Someone here must have the solution we desire. Help us, please!

 

[OhioTom76]

I've run into the issue if the batter was too warm when I was scooping the dough out on to the tray. Also, I've had more success with recipes that call for butter rather than shortening or vegetable oil. I think you aren't supposed to grease the sheet for some cookies recipes because it will make it easier for them to spread out.

Try making the dough in advance and letting it chill in the fridge for a couple hours. Then scoop the dough out on to a non-greased baking sheet. There is already plenty of butter in the dough itself to keep it from sticking. If you are really concerned you can always just line the tray with some nonstick foil or a nonstick silicone mat.

 

[BonnieA]

If you take them off the tray immediately they will fall. I let my cookies completely cool before removing them from the tray. That helps the cookies so they don't fall. Also put the tray in the dining room or somewhere away from the stove.

 

[iheartcookies]

The way I prevent them from flattening is making sure I use real butter that is softened and room temperature. Using melted butter or margarine can really destroy the integrity of the cookie when it bakes. I would advise against using margarine at all. Also, I make sure to refrigerate my cookie dough before using.