Help! Long time cookie recipe not coming out.

I’ve made literally thousands of these molasses sugar cookies and the last two batches, although they tasted ok, they didn’t flatten out. I go through a lot of flour so I know my flour’s good. I even got a new box of baking soda and that didn’t help either. I cream the butter flavored Crisco with the sugar, add one egg, then the molasses. As I add the dry ingredients I can tell after a couple of spoonfuls that the batter is going to be stiff. What’s weird is the same week the cookies didn’t come out right neither did a German chocolate cake I’ve been making for over 40 years. The cake didn’t rise. I’m at a loss as to why all of a sudden my baked goods are not coming out right. Any suggestions?

Inmyroom
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3 Comments

HalfPint
HalfPint March 29, 2021
Since the ingredients are ok, 2 other things to check:
1. oven temp. If the oven temperature is off, it might not be getting hot enough for the cookies to spread, or the cake to rise.

2. humidity. A drier environment can make a stiffer batter/dough, since the flour will need more liquid. Conversely, a wetter environment can result in a softer dough.

It might be the combination of these 2 things. Also, are you weighing out the ingredients?
 
Inmyroom
Inmyroom March 30, 2021
I use an oven thermometer because I never trust what the dial says. The only ingredient I weight is the buttery flavor crisco. I’ve used the same measuring cups for years and have never had this problem. What’s weird is that as soon as I start to incorporate the dry ingredients I can tell that the cookie dough is going to be stiff. I’m not kidding when I say I have made THOUSANDS of these cookie. They are my go to cookie and everyone loves them. If it is in fact the dry humidity, which we’ve had before, I don’t want to add more molasses as that might change the flavor of the cookie. Would I just had a little water?
 
HalfPint
HalfPint March 30, 2021
Adding a little more water would not hurt. Maybe a tablespoon at a time, until the dough get to the consistency that you want. You have made these many times, you'll know what the dough should feel like.

Alternatively, add the dry ingredients until the dough is where you think it should be.
 
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