When I worked at the Great American Cookie Company we had a decent variety of cookies. One of my favorites were the snickerdoodles – a shortbread, yet chewy cookie topped with cinnamon and sugar.
A few months ago, I attempted to make snickerdoodles out of my “500 Cookies” book. They turned out paper-thin, and crispy. This was not at all what I had in mind. But then I came across Culinography’s success with her snickerdoodles. They were exactly what I remembered honest to goodness snickerdoodles looking like.
I printed out the Mrs. Sigg’s recipe that Culinography used, and went to work in the kitchen. Unfortunately my hopes and dreams were crashed as I opened the oven door to find cookies (my cookie sheets don’t have four edges, just two) drip, drip, dripping over the side of the pan, and onto the bottom of my crappy, small apartment oven. But they still looked somewhat fat…for a little bit. Upon taking them, they were flat, and entirely disappointing. I haven’t even shared them with anyone yet because I am so disappointed at another snickerdoodle failure.
Readers: What am I doing wrong? Is my wackadoodle midget oven entirely uncalibrated by this point in its staggered career that I cannot depend on it to yield thick shortbread? Has my cream of tartar gone awry? What about that baking soda I feel like I bought mere months ago? Is it too against me in my quest to make moist snickerdoodles that won’t crash and break like fine china? SOS!
We will still eat them.
thank you co-worker. I will be sure to bring em on in tomorrow!
Oh no!! Your poor little cookies! And poor you!
Just a couple of thoughts…
- Grab an oven thermometer and check your temp.
- Make sure your cookie sheets are cool or room temp before you put anything on them (I used to stage on my range top… until I realized that the oven heated it – and anything on it) up to the point it was warm to the touch. Bad for cookie goodness.
- Chill your dough before you bake it (either before you shape/dip or on the pan before you bake – whatever you have room for).
- Add a couple of tablespoons more flour?
Don’t give up! There has to be an answer!
Thanks Culinography!
I know my oven desperately needs to be calibrated, zso rather than expect my landlord to do that, I’ll shell out the $5 for an oven temp. Sigh -I’ve been putting it off for far too long.
I actually did chill the cookies, but only for a short amount of time.
So I think I have two ways to test my Snickerdoodle baking ability: the oven thermometer, and add that flour (my sheets were cool as a cuke).
Thanks for the help – and when I get it right for once and for all, there will be a very excited post(er)!
You’re going to get it… and then we’ll celebrate big time! :)