[bgill]

Here’ the scoop on cookie making from Alton Brown’s food scientist friend, Shirley O. Corriher. Here’s the info she gives on page 131 in her Cookwise book (a must have cookbook!).

Change the flour and fat in a recipe to give the texture you wish:

Thin cookie = butter rather than margarine or shortening
Crispy = a little corn syrup for the sugar
Puffy = use shortening and cake flour to prevent spreading, also use another egg in your liquid amount
Moister = brown sugar
Color = increase baking soda
More spreading of the dough = more liquid and use all purpose flour instead of cake flour
Limit spreading = use baking powder instead of baking soda, or decrease fat and sugar by 2T
In between cookie = use equal parts butter and butter-flavored shortening

[SAJ]

VERY useful short summary, bgill. Thanks!

[miss marmelstein]

That’s some useful info. I’ve gotta get that cookbook. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Jukeman]

Thanks to all who responded regarding my thin chocolate chip cookies. It looks like chilling and butter flavored shortening may be the answer along with making certain air is incorporated into the batter and also unheated cookie sheets. Anxious to try again.