Cookie Question

Say I have a recipe for cookies that are rolled into balls and are meant to hold their shape after baking (like Mexican Wedding Cakes, Peanut Butter Blossoms). If this recipe calls for 1 stick of butter and 1 stick of shortening and I want to make them using all butter, how much should I use so they don't flatten out?

Thanks!

I would keep the same amount, chill the dough first so it does not spread so much in the oven.

I tried that, I even froze the dough, and they still spread.

The other alternative is to reduce the butter so that the dough is firmer, but this will affect the texture. I'd look for an all butter recipe first before trying to adjust yours - most of the ones I've seen for things like Mexican Wedding Cakes are all butter.

I make these every year with all butter and never have a problem.

Pie Lady wrote:I tried that, I even froze the dough, and they still spread.

Spread, as in totally flat or just flatter than you'd like? If so, then you're butter-flour ratio needs to be adjusted. Chilling will only help so much. Compare your butter-flour ratio to that used in versions of Mexican wedding cake recipes or the like and maybe that will help. A good start might be a ratio of 4 oz. of butter (1 stick) to 1 cup of flour. Hopefully you won't have to go through too many trials and errors. I hope you'll share your results.

Well, the other day I tried this recipe and they spread completely flat, so I ended up not having much cookie to press the Kiss into. I realize that the ones in the photo are not as round as basic peanut butter blossoms and the like, but they have a little shape at least. Other years I made these, and they spread on the bottom, giving me a chamber pot look; feet, as they say in candymaking. This problem happens with basically every "snowball" recipe.

But I will attempt your changes and report back with photos. Thanks for the tip!

Pie Lady, I wonder what would happen if you used ghee and then froze them? I'm not sure if the spreading is caused by the reduction in fat (since it contains water and dairy solids, butter is lower in fat than shortening,) or if it's because shortening is solid at room temperature but the fat in butter (ghee) isn't necessarily so. Ghee would fix the first issue.

Any particular reason you're avoiding shortening? You could always sub lard, which should behave in the same way, if you're looking for a more natural product.

I don't dig the mouth feel of shortening, and I like the taste of butter better. But substituting ghee sounds interesting.

I've noticed that Splenda makes my sugar-free cookies barely spread at all. (annoyingly so) You may want to try substituting a little for sugar, though, a warning: it can make your cookies too dry.

Flouring a greased cookie sheet can also help a lot with spreading.

Llama wrote:I've noticed that Splenda makes my sugar-free cookies barely spread at all. (annoyingly so) You may want to try substituting a little for sugar, though, a warning: it can make your cookies too dry.

Flouring a greased cookie sheet can also help a lot with spreading.

Hi,

Does Splenda have any aftertaste when baked or otherwise heated?

Regards,

I wonder if I just cut down on the sugar. Most recipes could use a little less anyway.

I don't dig the mouth feel of shortening, and I like the taste of butter better. But substituting ghee sounds interesting.

Everything I've read and seen on TV about butter vs. shortening in different chocolate chip recipes suggests that the issue is the higher melting point of shortening vs. butter. Butter melts faster so the cookies spread. I don't think ghee solves that issue.

rickster wrote:Everything I've read and seen on TV about butter vs. shortening in different chocolate chip recipes suggests that the issue is the higher melting point of shortening vs. butter. Butter melts faster so the cookies spread. I don't think ghee solves that issue.

Baking at a lower temperature sometimes helps.

LAZ wrote:

rickster wrote:Everything I've read and seen on TV about butter vs. shortening in different chocolate chip recipes suggests that the issue is the higher melting point of shortening vs. butter. Butter melts faster so the cookies spread. I don't think ghee solves that issue.

Baking at a lower temperature sometimes helps.

Wouldn't it be a higher temperature?

Cathy2 wrote:

Llama wrote:I've noticed that Splenda makes my sugar-free cookies barely spread at all. (annoyingly so) You may want to try substituting a little for sugar, though, a warning: it can make your cookies too dry.

Flouring a greased cookie sheet can also help a lot with spreading.

Hi,

Does Splenda have any aftertaste when baked or otherwise heated?

Regards,

Sometimes you can taste it. It depends on how strong the other flavors are and how much you use. Actually, I may be wrong, but I thought I heard that the longer something is baked, the stronger the taste is, i.e., it would be stronger in custard pie than in cupcakes. Has anyone else heard this?

If you are not morally opposed to shortening, there is butter flavored shortening,
maybe you could adjust the ratio, 2/3 butter, 1/3 butter-flavor shortening...
plus a chill...

Wouldn't it be a higher temperature?

Lower temp might allow the cookie to "set up" before the butter completely melts

Are you overlooking the temperature of your cookie sheets? I learned [the hard way as always ] to put my cookie sheets out on the porch in the cold before I bake a batch of cookies IF I'm on a holiday cookie baking marathon. Even a sheet still warm-ish from the previous batch will encourage a cookie to spread. These days I start out a drop cookie the day before & let it harden up in the refrigerator overnight, then make sure that the sheet is room temperature or colder before I put the dough on. Between those 2 steps, I get very little spreading from my cookies.

Giovanna

I've never noticed a Splenda aftertaste in anything except things with too much Splenda in them. My dad, however, can taste if a single grain of Splenda has been used in something (he calls it "ugly sugar") and will refuse to eat it - so, your mileage may vary.

If the spread is still a problem what I would add about ten percent more flour.

rickster wrote:

Wouldn't it be a higher temperature?

Lower temp might allow the cookie to "set up" before the butter completely melts

Yes, that's right.

Cookies made with margarine or shortening spread less than those made with butter because butter melts at lower temperatures than those other fats.

So decreasing the temperature for all-butter cookies can help them keep their shape.

I was browning butter to make cookies - 4 sticks. After browning, I had 12 ounces, not 16. Do I have to make up this weight somehow? If so, do I add more butter or water?

I would melt more butter then needed and then scale it.

Cathy2 wrote:
Does Splenda have any aftertaste when baked or otherwise heated?

Regards,

CI just discussed this. Their answer, surprisingly was no-go in cookies, but yes in drinks, cobbler & fruit pie filling.

Giovanna wrote: I learned [the hard way as always ] to put my cookie sheets out on the porch in the cold before I bake a batch of cookies IF I'm on a holiday cookie baking marathon. Even a sheet still warm-ish from the previous batch will encourage a cookie to spread. These days I start out a drop cookie the day before & let it harden up in the refrigerator overnight, then make sure that the sheet is room temperature or colder before I put the dough on. Between those 2 steps, I get very little spreading from my cookies.

Giovanna

Excellent idea, Giovanna! And, I concur that cookie baking is a hard taskmaster. I always learn the hard
way. Though I may not be alone. All of the women of my grandmother's generation baked: cookies, yeast breads, cakes and pies. They had their frustrations, but lots of practice and others to bake with. I'm glad for the virtual help you've all given me through this and other baking threads.

I have baked with Splenda, it does taste chemical and the cakes bake out different If you do not want to use sugar I would use agave syrup or stevia to sweeten things. But you have to be careful with artificial stuff:
Animal studies have indicated that a sweet taste induces an insulin response in rats.[6] However, the extension of animal model findings to humans is unclear, as human studies of intragastric infusion of sucralose have shown no insulin response from analogous taste receptors.[7] The release of insulin causes blood sugar to be stored in tissues (including fat). In the case of a response to artificial sweeteners, because blood sugar does not increase there can be increased hypoglycemia or hyperinsulinemia and increased food intake the next time there is a meal. Rats given sweeteners have steadily increased calorie intake, increased body weight, and increased adiposity (fatness). Furthermore, the natural responses to eating sugary foods (eating less at the next meal and using some of the extra calories to warm the body after the sugary meal) are gradually lost.[8]

Quote from wikipedia. The best thing is to eat everything in moderation, sugar is not bad for you but if you eat it in pounds a day it will have side effects.
There is also sorbitol, apple juice concentrate that you can use to sweeten things up if you do not want to use sugar.
But stay away from artificial stuff, diabetes and weight gain will loom ahead.

I usually chill my cookie dough in the fridge before I make into balls and put on the sheet. Also use half butter and half margarine. That would be better than using shortening imho. If I use spenda in any thing I use half sugar and half splenda to cut down on the splenda taste.

I just made nutballs with 2 sticks of butter and 2 c. flour. I wrapped the dough and put in the fridge and will bake tomorrow. I will report as to if they spread out.

Would using parchment paper help? I always use it and don't experience the cookies spreading.