sugar cookie hell

Ive been trying to make my own sugar cookie recipe for a little over a year now and so far i personally like the taste. but getting it to that chewy texture has been so difficult. i tried less flour so it wouldnt be so puffy but then it came out just limp and puffy. I also tried no baking soda but it still came out puffy. Please help im starting to give up. Should i freeze it? should i use baking soda and not baking powder? when i get home, i'll post my recipe so u guys can see it cause i dont have it on my phone.

Deanna
  • Posted by: Deanna
  • August 21, 2017
  • 2673 views
  • 7 Comments

7 Comments

grandrivergirl
grandrivergirl August 22, 2017
Why not just use someone else's recipe?
 
Deanna
Deanna August 23, 2017
Because i want to make my own for personal reasons... anybody can copy a recipe, but to make a recipe is special and unique
 
nance
nance August 22, 2017
Sometimes it's nothing more than a baking time/resting time issue. Pulling the cookies out of the oven just as they are browning on the edges, then rest them on the sheets for a minute before removing and cooling on a rack can be the answer. Does your recipe contain sour cream? Those are often a puffier cookie.
 
HalfPint
HalfPint August 21, 2017
Here is an article from Sunset magazine about perfecting chocolate chip cookies, but the concepts that are discussed would apply to what you want to accomplish for your sugar cookie:
http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/techniques/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookie

I would also look into America's Test Kitchen for making cookies. If anyone has dissected perfect cookies, it would be these guys.

Also, Stella Parks has a new book about American desserts with lots of details about ingredients and how they work in baking. Her blog, bravetart.com, is also a trove of great information and technique.

And I would also recommend going to King Arthur Flour blog to see what they have for perfect sugar cookies.
 
HalfPint
HalfPint August 21, 2017
Understand what each ingredient does to a cookie dough. It will then help you understand what you need to tweak to get that chewy, not-puffy sugar cookie. I have a feeling that it's going to be about the sugar and mixing method.
 
Deanna
Deanna August 21, 2017
thank you, thank you, thank you, i'll be sure to look into it
 
HalfPint
HalfPint August 22, 2017
Here's more cookie science:
http://hvngrymag.com/2015/07/31/the-science-of-cookies/
 
Recommended by Food52

Popular on Food52