If youve ever wondered, “Why are my cookies flat?” then these tips from our Test Kitchen will help you improve your cookie-baking game.
If you’ve ever felt the disappointment of flat cookies, you can relate to the experience of opening the oven to find a tray of pancake-like objects far from Mrs. Fields-level cookies. (Granted, most of us have no trouble eating cookies regardless of what they look like.)
But if you’re looking for Instagram-worthy treats, here’s how to keep cookies from spreading and fix flat cookies so you never have to ask yourself, “Why are my cookies flat?” again. (For more tips, check out our cookie-baking guide.)
The Problem: Your Oven Is Too Hot If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot.
How to Keep Cookies from Spreading
These tips will help prevent your cookies from spreading in the first place. (For more advice, check out these baking tips from our food editor.)
Mistake 4: Your baking sheets are over-greased
For most cookies, there’s enough fat in the dough to keep them from sticking to your baking sheets—no greasing required. (Plus, the best sheet pans are nonstick.) If you grease the pans unnecessarily, the dough will flatten too much as it bakes.
Related, reusing baking sheets for multiple batches of cookies can be another cause of flat cookies. Residual grease left on the sheet from the previous batch can lead to too much spread. (Also, if your pans are still hot from the previous batch, the fat in the dough will start melting even before the cookies hit the oven.)
Editor’s Tip: Always let the baking sheets come to room temperature between batches. If you have an ongoing problem with flat cookies that nothing else seems to solve, you may need to wash away residual grease between batches.
Thumbprint Cookies – Secrets Revealed
FAQ
Why do my thumbprint cookies flatten?
How do you keep thumbprint cookies from spreading?
How do you keep cookies from going flat when baking?
Can you over bake thumbprint cookies?
Do not over-bake the cookies and they won’t crack. Why did my thumbprint cookies go flat? Dough that is too warm (usually caused by butter that is too warm), could result in flat cookies. If your butter was too warm, you can chill the dough for 1 hour to ensure it won’t spread or go flat while baking.
How do you prevent thumbprint cookies from spreading too much?
Prevent thumbprint cookies from spreading too much by using softened, not melted butter. Melted butter doesn’t hold the round cookie shape like softened butter does. Also, use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to line the baking pan instead of nonstick spray or butter, as these tend to make an overly greasy foundation.
Why are my Raspberry thumbprint cookies not baking?
Most likely your oven is too hot OR your dough didn’t chill for long enough. The butter needs to be chilled otherwise it will spread out too quickly. With a sugar cookie base and flavorful jam middle, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies are a crowd favorite. Perfect for all year round but especially a great addition to a Christmas cookie plate.
Why are my cookies flat?
If you’re positive you used “softened” and not melted butter and added enough flour, but you’re still ending up with flat cookies, the culprit may be your oven. Ovens can say one temperature but be entirely different on the inside. Try reducing the temperature by 5-10 degrees to see if you get different results.