My cookies came out compluetely flat like pancakes! No expired ingredients. Wondering why this recipe does not call for baking soda when Karlie’s...

Doesn't sound like baking soda is the problem, it wouldn't do more than add a moderate amount of puffiness. I generally stay out of the cookie spreading debate, people seem to have a lot of fun inventing mystical reason why cookies spread; I maintain it's almost always a matter of the fat/flour ratio being off, but I virtually never have trouble with cookies spreading, other than maybe the last one that I scrape off the side of the bowl, so I find it best to stay out of it.

I don't know if the baking soda was omitted accidentally or purposefully. But just because your baking powder was not past the expiration date doesn't mean it is still active, and that might be your trouble. Baking powder starts losing potency as soon as you open the can, and it starts absorbing moisture. You probably should check yours to see how active it is. You can do that by adding 1 teaspoon of your baking powder to 1/3 cup of boiling hot water. If it bubbles actively, it's good. If it gives a rather pitiful fizz, or worst yet, no fizz at all- it needs replacing. If your baking powder is good, and you want to try again, there's nothing to keep you from adding in the 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. There should be plenty of acid in the batter from the molasses to activate it fully.

Hi Christina,

I'm so sorry to hear that! It hasn't happened to me with this recipe, but I have of course had spread issues at times, usually having to do with either oven heat, amount of time I chilled the cookie mounds, and/or temperature of fats in the dough. Do you have a thermometer in your oven?

All the best,
Ella