Why are my cookies coming out hard?

Table of Contents:

1. Why are my cookies coming out hard?
2. What makes a cookie hard or soft?
3. What makes cookies crispy vs chewy?
4. What can you do if you want to decrease the spread of your cookies but dont want to make them any less sweet?
5. Is it better to use oil or butter in cookies?
6. What is the best butter to bake cookies with?

Why are my cookies coming out hard?

Why are my cookies tough? The most common reason that cookies are tough is that the cookie dough was mixed too much. When flour is mixed into the dough, gluten begins to form. Gluten helps hold baked goods together, but too much gluten can lead to tough cookies.

What makes a cookie hard or soft?

Butter contributes milk solids and water to a cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar contributes molasses – again, a softener. Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies.

What makes cookies crispy vs chewy?

Sugar: White sugar leads to crispier cookies than brown sugar or other sweeteners do. That's because white sugar lets out a lot of water as it bakes, resulting in crispier cookies like these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. ... However, it's the yolks that make cookies chewy, while the whites lead to crunchier cookies.

What can you do if you want to decrease the spread of your cookies but dont want to make them any less sweet?

If a baker wants to decrease the spread of his cookies, but doesn't want to make them any less sweet, he can: Switch from granulated to confectioner's sugar in his formula.

Is it better to use oil or butter in cookies?

While butter contains air pockets that help it retain its shape, oil is more compact. You can't really alter it from its original state. Not to mention, using a flavorful oil such as olive oil in a cookie might give you a baked product that's just a little on the funkier side. Naturally, you can expect a softer dough.

What is the best butter to bake cookies with?

For baking purposes, the Test Kitchen recommends using unsalted butter so you can better control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. Salted butter is best for serving at the table with bread or to flavor a dish, like mashed potatoes.