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Spreading cookies, Help!! - Page 2

post #16 of 25
4/14/09 at 1:47pm
I too use the NFSC recipe from here. It truly is a "no fail" recipe IMO. icon_wink.gif I didn't realize that you could use less baking powder in them. Does this make a difference in the way they turn out?
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post #17 of 25
4/14/09 at 2:15pm
i use the cookie craft recipe and it has no baking powder in it at all. the only leavening it gets is from creaming (and i am careful not to overcream because that can cause spreading) and they rise beautifully with a nice flat surface for decorating. refridgerate for 15 minutes, bake at 350 for about 12 minutes and they keep their shape.

diane
Diane
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Diane
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post #18 of 25
4/14/09 at 3:05pm
Yes, I think that too much baking powder can make a difference in the cookie. Once I cut down the amount in the NFSC, my cookies keep their shape and rise also. I am much happier with the outcome since I have cut the baking powder in half. I have never thought of just totally leaving it out. Haven't tried that!
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post #19 of 25
4/29/09 at 1:07pm
Okay - HERE is a NFSC question...

Say you:

(possibly could have) overcreamed AND (definitely) used the whole amount of baking powder.

Say you:

ALREADY have EIGHT batches of dough frozen in rolled out sheets.

Say you:

have to have all these cookies ready by 10am Saturday morning.

Say you:

made a test sheet of them and they spread like crazy at a 30 minute pre-heated oven at 350.


Anybody have any suggestions on how to stop the spreading from here on out?

My cookie sheets were cold, used parchment and only had six cookies on the sheet.

OMG. Out of the hundreds of dozens of cookies I have made, I've never had this happen before. I thought maybe my baking powder was bad or something. Can someone help me? I don't want to make a whole new eight batches of dough. No I don't. icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gif
In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure the rain...
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In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure the rain...
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post #20 of 25
4/29/09 at 1:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by khufstetler

Okay - HERE is a NFSC question...

Say you:

(possibly could have) overcreamed AND (definitely) used the whole amount of baking powder.

Say you:

ALREADY have EIGHT batches of dough frozen in rolled out sheets.

Say you:

have to have all these cookies ready by 10am Saturday morning.

Say you:

made a test sheet of them and they spread like crazy at a 30 minute pre-heated oven at 350.


Anybody have any suggestions on how to stop the spreading from here on out?

My cookie sheets were cold, used parchment and only had six cookies on the sheet.

OMG. Out of the hundreds of dozens of cookies I have made, I've never had this happen before. I thought maybe my baking powder was bad or something. Can someone help me? I don't want to make a whole new eight batches of dough. No I don't. icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gif




Not sure how your oven is, but I know my oven has to be preheated for AT LEAST 45min for my cookies not to spread. If I don't give it enough time, the first two or three batches will spread on me.

Also, I remember someone posting that the dough should be cold but not the cookie sheets you put into the oven. They should be at room temperature. I chill them on one cookie sheet and then just tranfer them to a room temp one for the oven.
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post #21 of 25
4/29/09 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by liv6

I just started school for baking but according to my course book these are the reasons for spreading too much.
Baking temp too low
Not enough flour
Too much sugar
Too much leavening(chemical leaveners or creaming)
Not enough liquid
Pans greased too much

Hope that helps



I use that exact same recipe - but I'm not too particular on spreading since I know that this recipe tends to spread, I've never had it not spread at least a little.

However, I find that the more you work (cream, kneed, rework scraps etc.) the dough for that recipe, the more it spreads and possible bubbles. I also make sure I use all 8 cups of flour. Maybe try making sure you work the dough as little as possible and cut down on the sugar and up the flour?

It is possible you might want to cut back on the sugar a bit and be really careful
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post #22 of 25
4/29/09 at 1:46pm
I currently use a recipe very similar to the NFSC, except that I use 1/2 cup less of sugar and use 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract and only 1/4 tsp of baking powder. I may play with upping the sugar back to 2 cups, but this recipe has worked for me as long as I don't overcream the butter and once I add the dry ingredients, I mix it only to the point where it comes together and then pull it out of the mixer and knead it a few times by hand.

Khufstetler - Oh, my gosh. I am am so sorry icon_sad.gif , but that doesn't do you any good. I hope someone has the magic answer for you. Mija has covered the preheating issue and the importance that the dough is cold after cutting out. Hopefully that will help. Did you try a few of them without parchment? I think I am just grabbing at the wind there.
"I think every woman should have a blowtorch." - Julia Child
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"I think every woman should have a blowtorch." - Julia Child
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post #23 of 25
4/29/09 at 2:04pm
I haven't read all fo the responses because my display is all screwy, so forgive me if this is a repeat, but the best tip I can give you to limit spread is to roll and cut your cookies, then put the ENTIRE baking tray into your refrigerator until the dough is very well chilled. This will make the fat (butter/margarine/whatever) nice and firm, and will limit the spread you get when you place them int he oven, vs putting room temp dough in the oven, where the fat is already softened, it will then melt quicker, and your cookies will spread more. It also helps to give you a more tender cookie when you allow the dough to rest after rolling (it allows the gluten time to relax).
Tara
<---wonders if anyone uses REAL ingredients anymore--sugar fruit nuts, cream, butter etc--instead of flavoring chemical cream from a bucket with pudding & jello and calling it "mousse"
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Tara
<---wonders if anyone uses REAL ingredients anymore--sugar fruit nuts, cream, butter etc--instead of flavoring chemical cream from a bucket with pudding & jello and calling it "mousse"
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post #24 of 25
4/30/09 at 3:53am
PinkZiab - Well, I learn something new every day! I chill my dough after rolling, but was not aware of the gluten issue. Thanks for enlightening me! How long do you recommend letting it rest? Thanks for your expertise!
"I think every woman should have a blowtorch." - Julia Child
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"I think every woman should have a blowtorch." - Julia Child
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post #25 of 25
4/30/09 at 5:44am
THanks for the suggestions!

I over cream the butter and sugar - I know I do. I try really hard to limit the mixing time once I add in the dry ingredients though.

I put my dough in the fridge for a bit before rolling, not too long - then I roll out and put sheets in freezer until frozen, cut shapes and put BACk in freezer for a bit and then they go directly to oven. Like I said, I have never really had that much spreading at all.

I use MMF, so it is important not to spread.

What I did with some of these I'm worried about, was cut the MMF out of a cutter one size bigger than the cookie size cutter. I put the MMF on straight out of the oven, I like the way it melts onto the cookie. And it tastes wonderful that way. Worked for one batch. Now to figure out what to do with the other 80 dozen icon_surprised.gif



*you know, I don't have time to post often - or to post pics for that matter, but I want you folks to know that if I ever have a question or an idea - I come straight here. You people are, in my opinion - experts in this field and I owe any success I have to this site* THANK YOU SO MUCH
In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure the rain...
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In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure the rain...
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