6 Reasons Why Your Cookies are Spreading (2024)

FAQs

6 Reasons Why Your Cookies are Spreading? ›

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

What are the 6 factors that determine the spread of a cookie? Flour, sugar, liquid, baking soda, type of fat, and baking temperature.

If the cookies spread too much, you can usually fix the problem by adding more flour or oatmeal, or less liquid. If you notice it when the first batch goes into / comes out of the oven, a tablespoon of flour added may make the rest of the batch just right.

Reduce the leavening in the cookie recipe by about 25% if you live between 3,000-7,000 ft above sea level, and by about 30% if you're higher up in altitude. This helps the cookies spread less as they bake- leavening agents can work a bit differently at high-altitude!

Always pop the cut cookies back into the freezer for a few minutes until solid again. From there you can put them straight into the oven. Even better is that once frozen you can re wrap your pre-cut cookies in cling film and place in an air tight container and keep them this way already pre-cut and ready to go!

White sugar, with its neutral pH, interferes with gluten development, allowing the dough to spread more before it sets. The result is cookies that are thin and tender/crisp.

Use cookie butter like you would other spreads. Serve it on toast, waffles or pancakes at breakfast, or use it as a dip for sliced apples, bananas, graham crackers or pretzels. Cookie butter can also be used in baked goods such as banana bread, muffins and cookies, like these 3-Ingredient Cookie Butter Cookies.

Baking soda also serves another important purpose when it comes to cookies: It encourages spreading by raising the mixture's pH, which slows protein coagulation. This gives the dough more time to set before the eggs set, which results in a more evenly baked cookie.

Make sure all of your ingredients are room temp. For flatter cookies, scoop your room temp cookie dough to parchment and then press the top slightly. You can always add more butter but that will result in a crunchier/lacy edge.

Does high heat make cookies spread? ›

The temperature of your oven plays a critical role in the amount of spread your cookies can achieve, as it affects the speed at which these solid fats melt. Essentially, the faster the fats melt, the quicker the cookies will spread, resulting in that perfectly crispy, chewy texture we all crave.

Chill the dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes (or as directed in the recipe) before baking. Chilling the dough helps solidify the fat and allows the cookies to retain their shape better during baking.

Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture. You could also re-crisp them by baking on a wire rack in a 300 degree F oven for a few minutes. Have a question for the Kitchens? Leave a comment below and they'll answer a select number of them in the coming weeks.

1. Cookies. Cornstarch does kind of incredible things to cookies. I mean not only does it give them soft centers, prevents them from spreading, and makes them somewhat thick (in a good way), but it also contributes to the chewiness factor, which, in my opinion, is the most important cookie attribute.

The rise: At about 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the water in the dough turns into steam. The cookie starts to rise as the vapors push through the dough. Eventually, the baking soda or powder starts to break down into carbon dioxide gas, which raise up the cookie farther.