Hey all
I have a question I thought I’d ask.
I’ve tried to make three batches of cookies. I follow the recipe guide on the back of the cookie mix precisely, and every time my cookies are too dry.
I’m an idiot when it comes to cooking, so I wonder what could I possibly be doing wrong? 
That usually means overcooking.
Are they chocolate chip?
You can be following the recipe perfectly, but it can’t account for variations in the temperature of the oven you’re using.
You want them just browning at the edges, but still looking slightly moist in the center.
They will harden as they cool.
Peanut butter.
Actually, I think peanut butter cookies are among the most prone to drying out. You should try again and (if you use the same oven) reduce the temp by about 10 degrees, but also make sure they look not-quite-done when you take them out. So set the timer to go off early. i.e., if the cooking time is 15 minutes, check them at 11 or 12 minutes.
You oven temperature setting may be off. Even though the dial reads 300, it could really be 350 in your oven. You can buy a themometer for your oven. I had one, found that my oven was accurate and don’t have a clue where the thermometer is now.
I am not good at baking although I did make some kickbutt cornbread in skillets for dinner tonight. But it’s mighty hard to screw up cornbread. I add vanilla and a bit of sugar to my cornbread.
Ok. I will try that tomorrow when I bake more. I had thought maybe I would use more milk or eggs, but I will just turn the oven down and not bake them as long and see where that gets me…
other things to consider:
Only bake ONE cookie sheet at a time, and put it in the middle of the oven. You need air to circulate around the cookies as they bake, and if you have them too close to the top or bottom of the oven, the temperature may also be “off”.
What type of cookie sheet are you using? A dark sheet will bake the cookies faster than a light or shiny one. I almost always use foil on the cookie sheets (and the new, non-stick foil is great).
What size of eggs are you using? Most recipes are based on AA size eggs.
What does the recipe call for in way of fat if at all- oil or butter or shortening? Use that particular one, don’t substitute.
Don’t “over” beat the dough - you want to just get things mixed in. Also, don’t over work the dough with your hands, or roll it too much (I doubt you are rolling PNB cookies, however).
Take the cookies off the cookie sheet as soon as you get them out of the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. If you keep them on the cookie sheet, they will continue to bake as long as the sheet is hot.
My mom’s hobby is baking cookies - and she has a lot of recipes, including some family ones from Germany.
Dunk them.
Or nuke 'em. Even store bought hard-as-brick ginger snaps get soft and gooey in the microwave.
There’s always something else I suspect with too-dry cookies these days. The amount of residual moisture in all-purpose flour (maybe all flour; I don’t measure bread flour closely) changed abruptly about 6 years ago. I remember it was six years ago that we hosted a Pampered Chef thing at our house. They have a thing that’s like a caulking gun, but spits out nice shapes of cookie dough. The woman couldn’t budge the dough, and I pointed out the flour problem. And it hasn’t changed. I made pancakes last weekend and had to use half again as much milk as the recipe asked for (Fanny Farmer from the 60’s or 70’s). When making cookies, which is damn seldom, or quick breads, which is often, I usually cut back the flour by 20% or so.
Can you post the recipe?
Hey Chas, and everyone,
There’s a great essay in the beginning of the King Arthur Baking Companion about measuring flour, i.e. sifted, not sifted, etc. Depending on how you measure it out a cup of flour can be anywhere between 4 and 6 ounces by weight. Most recipes are written for 4 - 4.5 oz cups. Anyway, I’ve stopped using measuring cups in my baking (for the flour anyway) and use my kitchen scale instead. It has improved my baking tremendously, even if I do say so myself.
Mark
I know what I’m buying at the grocery store tomorrow. woo hoo. somebody give ketida a prize.
I eat ginger snaps as cereal, with soy milk poured over a whole bole of them.
I tried again and kept the oven on low and only for 8 minutes instead of 12, and it seems they are much better. Thanks, everybody.
Consider trying different recipes. Maybe you got a not-so-good one. I think peanut butter cookies are among the most difficult to get perfect.
the kind of peanut butter can throw the recipe off also
Ginger cats from Trader Joes are excellent for this!
I’m having trouble visualizing this.
I meant bowl. Sorry.