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Secret to stop Toll House cookies spreading? - Page 2

post #16 of 82
3/15/11 at 8:46am
Alton Brown had a great episode on chocolate chip cookies. He shared three recipes, The Puffy, The Crispy, and The Chewy. He altered the recipe to produce the three. The video should be somewhere on the net, maybe even Food Network. All of the recipes are there. Look up the names above. I use a combination of his chewy with a recipe from my sister-in-law. Many chefs are sharing the advantages to chilling overnight.

With all due respect to Toll House, there are many recipes out there designed to do what you want. Alice Medrich has a book, Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy, with excellent scientific information. I just ordered a book from amazon with great reviews, Big Fat Cookies, by Elinor Klivens.
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post #17 of 82
3/15/11 at 8:55am
I have always used the toll house recipe too, and I also have always put in extra flour. I make this recipe at least once a week because I use it to make cookie cakes and they are quite popular at my kids school. I put in almost 3 cups of flour, the last cup I don't quite fill all the way. You don't want to not put in the baking soda, because then you will have cookies that are the exact same shape as your scooper. And yes I know this from forgetting to put in the BS before! LOL
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post #18 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathysCC

Don't use butter or margarine. My mom used Crisco shortening instead and this is how I've made them for years. I've tried it both ways and it is definitely the butter than does it. Crisco makes a less chewy cookie that does not spread. Try it. icon_biggrin.gif



My grandmother makes shortning Chchp Cookies and they are very thin and flat, but they are soft, not at all crispy. They are my favorite.
I have Flying Monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them. - Elphaba.
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I have Flying Monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them. - Elphaba.
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post #19 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:00am
Oh and I fogot to say I always use Land o'Lakes margerine at room temp, no Crisco...Hope this helps!!
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post #20 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:10am
Don't use all BP or you will have a very cake-like cookie. If you have 1 tsp of BS in the recipe then use 1/4 tsp BP and 3/4 tsp BS and see if you need more BP from there.

I don't use Toll House recipe so I can't say for certain how much you will need, but that's a good place to start.

icon_biggrin.gif


Not for nothing, but margarine is pretty much butter flavored crisco with some water, milk solids and salt in it.
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post #21 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:24am
i use the toll house recipe all the time and i agree with cakesandbakes when it comes to adding a bit more flour. i add just enough more that when i touch the dough my finger does not stick to it. also you said the cookies get crispy around the edges? are you using alum. sheets or non stick. i find using the alum. sheets with the lip(i think its quarter sheet/bun pan) tend to not overcook the edges, where as the flat cookie sheets with no edges will cook your cookies too crispy. personally i stay away from anything non stick or dark in color because they will just come out too dark on the bottom and sides by the time the cookie is baked.
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post #22 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:29am
oh and i also use margarine. butter has a lower melting and will melt and spread the cookie much faster than the margarine.
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post #23 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:34am
I think your using margarine has more to do with why your cookies don't spread as much than the extra flour.

The op stated that she bakes on a Silpat, so the pan wouldn't ever touch the cookies so I don't think that's her problem. The butter will give you a crispier edge than margarine will due to it melting and pooling at the edge. I love the little bit of crispy edge and the nice chewy center... the best of both worlds.
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post #24 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:37am
This is making me want to bake up a few batches of CC cookies with different leavening in each to illustrate the difference in the final product.

Too bad I'm trying to eat healthier right now... LOL. Maybe I will anyway and send them into school with my kiddos for the teachers.
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post #25 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:44am
The toll house recipe is my favorite! I always cut the amount of butter in half. icon_eek.gif That's the look I get from everyone when I tell them, but cross my heart they still taste so yummy and NEVER spread. They are the perfect texture, a little crunchy on the outside but the inside is soft and chewy. I have converted most of my friends!
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post #26 of 82
3/15/11 at 9:47am
My mom and I like to call those taco cookies cause they are as flat as a tortilla when they are done...not good! icon_smile.gif
I use butter, but I add more flour about 1/4-1/2 cup more. and I bake on an insulated aluminum baking sheet. Has stopped the spreading completely. I only bake until mine are slightly brown on the edges then let them cool on the cookie sheet. They are so soft and chewy - to die for!
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post #27 of 82
3/15/11 at 10:29am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all your help everyone! I will try one adjustment at a time and see how things work out.
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post #28 of 82
3/15/11 at 10:57am
Just use parchment paper. Mix up the original recipe -no alterations, they will still spread because of the butter but not as much. And you will have absolutely no over browned edges. Use a cookie scoop to get even shapes and size. If the original recipe still isn't what you want, go to Alton Brown's variations. His recipes are trust worthy. (But continue using parchment paper. Cookies are pain without it.)
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post #29 of 82
3/15/11 at 11:00am
So a while back I was trying to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Mine have always been good, but I wanted these to be a little crispy on the outside while chewy on the inside so I started investigating. I concur on reading what Alton Brown has to say...very interesting and I tried some of those tips. But I also read the info below. (I hope it pastes)...it's a Mrs. Fields secrets thing. I followed that and now everybody RAVES about my cookies. My hubby said they're the best I've ever made. The secret (and basically you can use any recipe of choc chip cookie) is to mix it up...I use melted butter but you don't have to...mix by hand when you're at the flour stage...then roll into balls and refrigerate or freeze for a day. Then bake at a low temp (300 degrees). It makes the best cookies and they don't spread all out but they're crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside! Yummmmm


http://www.mrsfieldssecrets.com/blogs/blog/2010/02/recipe-blue-ribbon-chocolate-chip-cookies/
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post #30 of 82
3/15/11 at 11:15am
Thread Starter 
I have some in the oven now, have decreased baking soda and subbed it for baking powder. I'll report back with pics!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Narie

Just use parchment paper.



Instead of a Silpat? Does it make a difference? (I hate using parchment paper, I only use it in cake pans)
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