My cookies broke again!!

I made the No-Fail chocolates and got about 17 out of the batch and 3 broke. I used big cutters, 3" or so--by the way, Wilton cutters, may I say again, STINK! You need practicality over fluff and you need metal!!

They seemed soft in the middles so I let them cook the full 8 minutes. I put the sticks in before baking and they were about 1/4" thick. I don't have this problem with cinnamon cutouts I make every year and those are just as thick if not thicker. Some were teetering on breaking so I let those little buggers just sit.

This is so frustrating for me. I worry about how to decorate nicely and here I can't even get them baked correctly. These are not for me. They are not a paid order but still, my friend is taking them to her workplace and I have never had anyone other than my family or my neighbors taste my baked goods, so I'm nervous. I don't expect to get anything out of it but I would like them to be successful.


They are good but I think a bit dry, the recipe needs more fat in it. I might experiment with it one day. They should be fine iced, though.

I use the No Fail recipe from this site. I use dowel rods to roll my dough (well, I use a rolling pin, but I use dowels as guides) the same thickness. The dowels I use most often are 5/16" and I use them with cookie sticks too. I made a batch last night and forgot on the first pan to out the sticks in, so I put them in as soon as they came out of the oven and the others went in before they baked. The point of all of that was- my cookies haven't broken. Maybe you can roll them just a tiny bit thicker and that will help. Also, when you put the stick in, if it breaks through the back any- take some extra dough and "patch" the holes.

When I use my smaller cutters (about the size of the ones you are using), I find they usually need the full 8 minutes. I bake on 140 degrees F, but my oven thermometer bakes about 5 degrees hotter than it says.

Good luck,
Suz

Thanks golfgirl. I did patch the backs with the extra dough. I would blame it on the sticks but it happened last time with no sticks. If I make them thicker, won't they be too heavy for the sticks?

I wonder if maybe you're just not baking them long enough?

When I use the no-fail recipe, I roll my dough 1/4" thick, and bake them until they just barely start to brown along the edges. For most of my shapes, that means 12-14 minutes.

8 minutes just doesn't seem like long enough.

I haven't tried the chocolate recipe yet, but have made quite a few batches of the no-fail cookies and have never had one break yet.

Laura.

Antonia74----Where are you woman?? Cookie Drama in Zamode's bakery.

Cake Princess--

I saw your cookies on another website. Congrats! Are you selling them through this cookie company??


kos

I make the no-fail cookies and the chocolate version frequently, and have never had a problem with breakage.... except for the ones that happen to break "accidentally" when I'm checking them (so that I can taste them!).

I roll mine pretty think - 1/4 inch without sticks and a little thicker if I'm going to putthe sticks in them.

Did you say 8 minutes for baking? I keep mine in much longer - at least 12 minutes. Maybe they aren't done enough and that's why they are breaking?

okay, I think these baking times are off. Most of my cookies are 3" to 5", so I lower the oven temp to 315-325 and I bake my cookies (no fail AND chocolate) for 20-22 minutes until they are barely firm to the touch. The edges of the No-Fail are golden, but the middles are still pale. I cool them completely on the baking sheets only for at least 20 minutes before I transfer them to cool sheets.

Although I don't ever make cookies on a stick, I still roll my cookies out to at least 1/4" (hearts, squares, rounds, smaller cookies) to 1/3" (thinner shapes, larger cookies, delicate cutters like hockey sticks, umbrellas, etc.)

Zamode, don't add more butter to this recipe! The whole point is to get a shortbread-type, crisp sugar cookie that doesn't spread out of shape while baking and is firm enough to be iced. More butter will make your cookie spread out of the cutter shape. The icings and glazes dry much better on a solid cookie that doesn't have a very high-fat content.

Yep, that's it ladies--I just thought of that this morning, as one of the pops flopped over, they are too soft. My cinnamons I bake I think at 325 for at least 12 minutes. I don't have any dough left so I will try next time. I will lower the temperature as well. Antonia, I am making pretty big cookies, they aren't slender in shape; a fat heart and flower. The tulip I stretched out but it's a crappy plastic Wilton cutter so I gave up on that one, the "neck" of the flower is too slender.

I knew butter would make it too "runny" but I thought maybe an extra egg? However, I certainly will take your advice and leave them as is.

Yes, jmcakes, drama in the Bakery!! Thank you to everyone for your replies! I appreciate it. We'll see what happens next time. I will either try these again or try the choc. sugar cutouts from Nestle that I have been wanting to try.


Edited to add: Stay tuned ladies, I have yet to ice them! Drama for sure!

I noticed you use Alice cookie icing on your cookies which look fabulous. Is this recipie on this site.

Remember I said stay tuned, I have to ice them yet....