You followed the recipe to a T. You baked them at the correct temperature. And yet, your cookies still turned out flat. What went wrong?
It could be multiple things. In this article, we’ll teach you how to make cookies fluffy instead of flat, as well as list some of the most common reasons yours didn’t rise to the occasion.
Your Butter Melted Prematurely
Butter, due to its low melting point, is usually the culprit behind flat cookies. It can be extremely fickle to work with, given that if it’s too cold it won’t mix well with other ingredients and if it’s too warm it can cause cookies to spread too thin. For this reason, it serves as the basis for many of the tips that follow.
“Real butter requires some finessing, but the taste and texture can’t be beat,” writes food blogger Nan Schiller. “Whatever you do, don’t use butter substitutes or margarines. They contain too much moisture and tend to spread even more than butter will.”
You Didn’t Chill Your Dough
We get that you’re anxious, but if you want fluffy cookies, you seriously need to chill… the dough. Why? Because of that whole issue with butter melting prematurely. Refrigerate your batter for at least 10 minutes before scooping it onto a baking sheet.
You Used a Warm Baking Sheet
A warm baking sheet can also cause butter to melt prematurely. To counteract this, place the cookie sheet in the fridge for about 10 minutes before scooping out the cookies.
Your Oven Thermometer is Inaccurate
It may seem unlikely, but inaccurate oven thermometers are more common than you think, especially considering that most people are using ovens that are several years old. Fortunately, there’s a cheap and easy fix: You can buy an oven thermometer for about seven bucks online.
You Greased the Pan
Ah, a classic cookie rookie mistake. We get it: you don’t want your cookies to stick to the pan. But here’s the thing: there’s enough fat in the dough already. Adding more will only cause your cookies to spread. So instead, use parchment paper or nonstick pans. If you choose to use parchment paper, make sure you use a fresh sheet with every batch.
As a final note, keep in mind that flat cookies aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Our signature shortbread cookies, for example, are purposefully made flat in order to achieve the shape, size, and consistency that our customers love so much. It all comes down to what your personal taste and preferences are.
FAQs
We get that you're anxious, but if you want fluffy cookies, you seriously need to chill… the dough. Why? Because of that whole issue with butter melting prematurely. Refrigerate your batter for at least 10 minutes before scooping it onto a baking sheet.
How can I make my cookies fluffier instead of flat? ›
Without heat to create more steam, the cookies deflate. ... If you want your cookies to shrink less, you might try cooking them at a slightly higher temperature, or cooking them a bit longer, or perhaps not chilling them so much prior to baking. Bumping up the amount of egg white in the cookie may help, too.
What makes cookies stay fluffy? ›
Butter keeps cookies fluffy in two ways. First, creaming cold butter with sugar creates tiny, uniform air pockets that will remain in the dough it bakes up. Second, cold butter naturally takes a longer time to melt in the oven.
How to get cookies to not be flat? ›
If your cookies come out of the oven looking flat, you may not have adequately chilled the dough before baking. Chilling times may vary depending on the cookie you're making, but you should typically chill cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours before you pop it in the oven.
Does baking powder make cookies fluffy? ›
Baking powder is a two-in-one chemical leavening that combines a powdered alkali (sodium bicarbonate) with a powdered acid (originally, tartaric acid). When moistened in a dough or batter, a chemical reaction takes place that produces carbon dioxide gas, inflating cookies, cakes, and pancakes.
What is the secret to making soft cookies? ›
Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.
Should I use baking powder or baking soda for cookies? ›
Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.
Why are my homemade cookies always flat? ›
If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure. Therefore, as the butter spreads so does the whole liquidy cookie.
What can I add if my cookies are flat? ›
Try using baking powder instead of baking soda. Baking soda encourages spreading while baking powder puffs the cookies up. If your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda, you would use 3 to 4 teaspoons of baking powder.
Does melted butter make cookies flat? ›
If your butter gets too warm at any stage before baking your cookies, you'll likely end up with flat cookies. You want to be sure to start with butter at a cool room temperature.
The secret ingredient – AIR!
There are three ways to create air in a cookie: mechanically (by creaming the butter and sugar), chemically (leavening agents like baking soda), and physically (steam created by water from butter & eggs).
How to make a cookie more dense? ›
Eggs are a major source of moisture in your cookie dough. Using egg whites will give you a taller, drier cookie. More egg yolks will give you fudgy, dense cookies. Bringing eggs to room temperature beforehand will add more volume to the dough.
How to make cookies more dense? ›
Baking Powder. The type of leavening you use in your cookies doesn't just help them rise while baking, it affects their texture and structure too. Baking soda in cookies yields a denser cookie with craggy tops, while baking powder causes cookies to rise higher during baking for a cakier texture.
What makes cookies light and airy? ›
Water vapor escaping from the dough in combination with the carbon dioxide released by our baking soda is ultimately what makes our cookies light and airy.
How do you flatten cookies after baking? ›
Flatten your cookies with a spatula when they first come out of the oven for perfect cookies every time.
How to fix cookie dough that is too cakey? ›
Increase sugar content: Sugar helps create a crisp and chewy texture in cookies. If your cookies are too cakey, try increasing the amount of sugar in the recipe to promote a chewier texture.
