I just noticed that the recipes are very similar. Toba's is half of the No Fail recipe except for it has no salt and 1/2 tsp less baking powder. Does anyone know what effect the extra baking powder and salt has? I love Toba's cookies, but I hear so many rave about the No Fail recipe.

Berta

interesting...I've never used Toba's recipe, but they sure are alike by the sound of it.

The extra baking powder would just give them a bit more puffiness...levening. The extra salt won't do much difference. Sometimes adding more salt actually makes things taste a bit sweeter.

Thanks Antonia,

I am just getting started with cookies, and when I have time to make them I like to use recipes that everyone here raves about. I know the No Fail is quite popular. Toba's cookies were definitely delicious, but I will try the other one this afternoon.

Berta

If you want to know which is better, make a batch of both. The only thing with baking is unless EVERYTHING is exactly the same(humidity, etc), it's really hard to make a recipe exactly the same every day. If you measure flour with a measuring cup and not by weight, you will get different amounts depending on how you measure. Flour holds different amounts of water depending on the humidity in the air. I make bread and you have to adjust the flour-I never measure at the end but I know the recipes I use takes different amounts of flour every time. Depending on the brand of butter, there may be more water, less fat which will affect the final product.
I have participated in trying to find the best chocolate cake recipe on another side. Everyone has different ideas of what a certain bake good should taste like and they are never the same as yours LOL. I can bake the same cake as you but my oven may be hotter and my cake overcooks and I find it dry while you cook yours perfectly and it's nice and moist.
So try both recipes but I would stick with the one I get consistent results with and "most" people enjoy eating. I really doubt there is a "best" recipe out there for bake goods-just really good ones.

Sandra

Hi Sandra,

I took your advice and made both recipes of cookies...boy I was feeling brave!! I sampled the dough and both tasted almost identical. So far I must say I prefer the No Fail recipe because it rolled out and cut much easier than Toba's; I'm not sure why it was just a bit stiffer. I will decorate and give the munchkins some tomorrow and see what they prefer. I will also take some to there Karate exam Friday and let other moms taste test for me. I'll post the results in case someone is intersted!

Berta