Okay why can I not make a chocolate chip cookie? Aren't mothers genetically designed to be able to make them? Every time I try to make them the melt into a puddle and become one giant mess. Anyone have a fail safe recipe? The recipe I used had butter in it. I am wondering if a crisco based recipe would hold up better, but I'd rather have butter

Are you chilling your dough before you put them in the oven? I usually put mine on cookie sheets and then chill them in the fridge for about 10 or 15 minutes before I stick em in the oven and they don't spread as far.

What's the temp of your butter when you add it? I always use ALL butter in my CCC's but make sure it is just barely room temp, still a little cool. If it's too mushy my cookies fall flat.

I never put my chocolate chip cookie dough in the fridge....didn't know you were supposed to.

Try this recipe. They make huge cookies, but I made them over the weekend normal size, and they turned out fine. I use mini chips....

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Big-Fat-Chewy-Chocolate-Chip-Cookie/Detail.aspx

what recipe are you using?
are you using real butter or margarine? (margarine won't hold up well)
What is the consistency of the dough before you bake it? if it's to soft you can put it in the fridge first.

No need to chill dough. Use half butter half crisco(you get a soft cookie on the inside with a nice crunch to the outside). If your dough is too wet(sticks to your finger a bit, then you need to add a bit more flour). Do a test run with 1 cookie, and if it goes flat add a bit more flour. Works everytime.

I don't have a better recipe, I do more of my recipies by feel. If it looks really wet, I add a little more flour than it calls for. I do have the same problem with Rice Crispie Treats....can't make them to save my life.

I used the ghiradelli recipe. This happened the last time I made them too, so I did chill them for awhile. But it didnt help. The dough was sticky though. I think it's time to try a new recipe. Thanks for the recipe posted!

I spent 6 months tweaking recipes until I found a choc chip recipe that I would put my name on. Because up until that point, every recipe that I tried resulted in flat crispy cookies that you could see thru. Hated them.

My recipe has butter AND oil. I never refrigerate my dough. (Who in the world has time to do that? )

My other cookie recipes that call for "butter", I use margarine. Always have. I only use Imperial brand .... the blue and gold box; cheapest one in the grocery!

Butter/margarine causes cookies to spread more than shortening. A recipe with baking powder will cause cookies to rise (like biscuits) where a recipe with baking soda will cause a cookie to spread really thin. Cream of tartar plus baking soda = baking powder (in a very simplistic explanation, based on an internet search).

Baking on parchment paper really makes a better quality cookie.

I have always made my cookies by "touch" as well...and like Debi, always used block margarine (grew up with it, never knew the difference until adulthood!) Two things, though: I find baking soda alone leaves an aftertaste (could be just me) so I tend to use baking powder and I always add less sugar and more flour than a recipe calls for. I have to say I have never baked a crispy greasy or flat choc chip cookie---I have used lots of different recipes and going by feel works for me.

I have always used a recipe that uses margarine and peanut butter. Not too much so it's like a peanut butter cookie but enough to give it a really nice soft, moist texture. It also uses both brown and white sugar...All this talk and now I need to hunt down the recipe and make them....or do it by memory but that could get scary!

I've always had great results with the choc chip recipe from better homes and gardens cookbook. It's actually the only one I have ever made. I also have the same issue with MMF. I can make it with any recipe and everything looks so great until I roll it out . I can't make that stuff for nothing. So I feel your pain.

Using half butter and half shortening will fluff them up better. I use Toll House recipe, doing that. I don't care for the taste of margarine.

Alton Brown did a whole show (Good Eats) on chocolate chip cookies and the different "types" of chocolate cookies - flat, puffy, chewy. Everyone has their favorite type, and each is pretty different. If you look it up, he gives some great tips and reasons for why different recipes do what they do. I would recommend checking the ingredients on each recipe. If you have a favorite kind, then look for other recipes with similar ingredients and experiment. Good Luck!

I always used the Toll House recipe, and LOVE them. For a party I was doing, I decided to try the recipe on this site...Mary"s #1 So Admit It Chocolate Chip Cookie. They are easy, delicious and HUGE! I have never met anyone who didn't LOVE them...I don't make CC Cookies often (cause I'd eat the whole batch), but when I do...it will be these!

I thought margarine made CC cookies puff up and have a cakey texture?