So, I don’t cook or bake, but yesterday I attempted to make chocolate chip cookies. Without the chips. Anyway, I didn’t have the purpose flour and baking soda/powder* so I used self rising flour. I forgot to add the egg to the creamed butter-sugar mixture until after the flour was mixed in.
I baked a few of the cookies and they were soft, but dry. Is the dryness because the egg got added last? Is there anything I can do to get decent cookies out of this dough, or should it just be tossed? They were also slightly baking powder/soda-y tasting, but I figure that’s a lost cause.
*I know they’re not the same, but I’ve forgotten which one the recipe called for.
So you made the dough yesterday? Where has it been since then?
IANABaker, either, but I think it’s probably a lost cause. The baking powder (from the self-rising flour) is only leavening for so long after it’s moistened and then the chemical reaction that produces all those bubbles stops. You’ve probably shot past that by now. And since it already tastes of leavening, you don’t want to add more.
You might be able to salvage it by beating another egg until light in color, add 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until smooth and the add the batter to it and mix until combined. I wouldn’t attempt it without a stand mixer, though. But it might provide both additional leavening and moisture without the baking powder taste. I’m also not sure if it will make good cookies at that point - spreading the whole thing into a baking dish and calling it either “bar cookies” or “cake” (depending on what comes out) might be your best bet!
Thanks for the replies. ** Hockey Monkey**, I didn’t try tasting the raw product, but that could work if it tastes good.
Yes, I made it yesterday night, and put it in the refrigerator. I didn’t think about the leavening only working for a finite amount of time, but it makes sense. Since I won’t be able to get to it until the evening, I’m sure its chances will be long over by then. I’d try the extra egg and sugar thing, but don’t own a stand (or any other kind) of mixer.
Baking is a pretty particular science, following the directions and knowing when to deviate is an art form. IANAPB, but I have fun making cookies!
Alton Brown kind of explains it here in some transcripts from one of his cookie shows.
The purpose of the egg is to puff the cookie and the purpose of creaming the butter and sugar together is to help rising and spreading. Most recipes I use generally start with creaming the butter and sugar, adding the egg and the rest of the wet ingredients. The butter + sugar + egg mixture seems to provide the basis for the rising process, and then the liquid absorbs the flour and together makes the cookie rise and spread.
Maybe you can use the dough as a crust? I wouldn’t try to salvage it too much at this point, I’m sure all the flour and other dry ingredients will have been absorbed and trying to get an egg into the mixture might be really difficult at this point.
At least it’s a pretty simple recipe and a few dollars of ingredients lost, much less than if you bought a box mix and forgot to add an egg in. Good luck!
lunar elf, thank you, thank you, thank you for the link in your post!!! That is absolutely my favorite episode of Good Eats, and it illustrates perfectly how Alton Brown can be funny and at the same time teach well.
As my username suggests I bake for a living, and I live for the episodes when he does baked goods. Of course I love of the shows, baking or not.
I’d buy Good Eats but right now the budget is tight and I can’t afford to. But someday…
likely the reason that this dough came out dry wasnt that the egg was added too late, or even that it was refrigerated, but that you mixed it too much because you added the egg after you added the flour.
you wouldnt think it, but the flour is one of the most delicate parts of this mixture. when flour is mixed with the soda and liquids, it becomes elastic, which is what makes bread springy and cookies fluffy. if you beat dough too much after you’ve added the flour, it loses the elasticity and thus you get dry cookies. (the same reason why repeatedly rolling out pie crust and sugar cookies makes them dry)
if your cookie dough were to be made with just oatmeal, or mostly oatmeal, you wouldnt have to worry about beating in the egg after the other ingredients.
as a rule, only mix on low with your mixer after you add the flour. and then just mix until combined. then stir in any chocolate chips or other stuff by hand.
Hope that helps anyone else out there having cookie dough problems.
