Why cookies go flat

We talked about the solution to the problem of why are my cookies flat and thin. But probably just as common of a problem is that the cookies come out too crispy and overcooked, almost burnt.

The reason your cookies may be crispy and slightly burnt is because you use too much sugar. Sugar burns very easily, and if you are wondering why are my sugar cookies flat and crispy, that could be the problem period too much sugar was used in the recipe.

I often have problems with recipes I find online and how much sugar they call for. I am not someone who likes very sweet desserts anyways. So, I adjust the recipe accordingly to suit my taste and I find that helps with the crispiness of the desert as well, particularly with cookies. How much sugar you use affects how crispy your muffins, cookies, cake , and other baked goods come out.

Because I minimise how much sugar I use, that makes it less likely that my food will come out crispy. It tends to be softer and more tender because of the limited amount of sugar I use in the recipe. You can try this as well and limit how much sugar you use and see if that makes your cookies come out softer and more pillowy. Both of those contribute to hard, crispy cookies. This is the problem of cookies being too thick and too heavy period maybe you already know what the issue is and you know how to fix it.

Did you guess too much flour? The more flour you use, the denser your cookies will be in the end. Consider modifying the recipe to have less flour in it, if your cookies come out too thick and heavy. Chalk it up to a learning experience and enjoy your pancake cookies. Follow the recipe exactly for best results.

If it calls for softened butter , leaving it at room temperature for about minutes should do the trick. This means carefully measuring dry ingredients—like flour and sugar— in dry measuring cups and using no more or less than is called for. Sugar liquifies when heated, so too much sugar will result in more spreading and flatter cookies.

You can usually judge whether cookie dough needs to be chilled by its texture—if the dough feels abnormally sticky or wet, throw it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden it up. Refrigerate your dough : let it chill for at least a couple of hours, or overnight, before baking. This is the single most useful tip! Doing this prevents the butter from melting in the oven before the starch has time to set. It also improves the flavour. Preheat your oven : completely preheated, no impatience here!

For the same butter-melting reason as 1. How to Fix it: If too-soft butter was the culprit, try refrigerating cookie dough for 1 to 2 hours before baking. If too-little flour was the issue, try adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour to the dough. Then, bake a test cookie. If neither were the mistake, it was probably a too-hot pan that caused the spreading. Cool your cookie sheet before baking another batch. How to Avoid it: Allow your butter to come to room temperature—then cut it into pieces.

The perfect temp should take about 30 minutes. Cool your cookie sheet in between batches—allow the sheet to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, then run under cold water and dry—this will cool the sheet without it warping. Just like us, cookies need a little breathing room—otherwise, they have a meltdown! How to Fix it: Make a snack of your cookie clump or break it into pieces and use it as a topper for your ice cream sundae!