Instead of pressing the dough into a pan, scoop it into balls (a teaspoon or tablespoon scoop works well). Flatten the dough balls and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges.
Fix: Flatten The Dough Balls Slightly Before Baking
If the dough balls are quite firm, you can help them bake by pressing them down slightly. Instead of having them in the traditional ball shape, push them down into more of a puck. This helps them to spread out more evenly during baking.
If you notice that your cookies are flat while they’re baking in the oven, you can try using a spoon to reshape them.
…
How to Fix Flat Cookies
- Crumble and use them as a topping for pudding, mousse or ice cream.
- Use them for ice cream sandwiches.
- Add them as mix-ins to other dessert recipes, like this Cookies ‘n Cream Fudge.
Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Causes: Whipping too much air into the dough while creaming butter and sugar. Adding too many eggs.
Why Do Cookies Get Hard? … Over time, the moisture in the cookies evaporates, leaving them stiff and crumbly. It’s the same thing that happens to breads, muffins, and other baked goods. The longer they sit, the more stale they become.
Giving your cookies something with friction to cling onto, so to speak—like an ungreased baking sheet or one lined with parchment or Silpat—can slow the spreading. A greased sheet just encourages hot, melting cookie dough to run further.
As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that and you won’t see a noticeable difference in the final product, says Haught Brown.