Okay, stupid question, what is the difference between Bread Flour and White Flour?

http://www.ochef.com/97.htm
This explains it better than I can. And there is also unbleached flour, just to confuse us more. all purpose is the white flour.

Bread flour is hard wheat flour and has a higher protein and much higher gluten factor which makes bread hold it's "rise". White flour would need "wheat gluten" added to make good bread. Cake flour is highly milled and has the least amount of gluten and is much finer and lighter. All purpose has had some added gluten but does not make as good of bread.

So I am assuming - not that I know anyone dumb enough to do this mind you- but if they used bread flour in Cookies - because they didn't want to face the crowded stores - IF the cookies came out dry - it could be the flour?

RATHER BE QUILTING ANY WAY

hobo, thx for the nice explanation.
JUNEC...i just use whatever flour i have. who needs perfection anyway? good enough, is good enough. But, i will buy 'bread flour' next time i'm in the store, and try in my bread maker.

How good is unbleached flour for bread making?

Usually, excellent! Sometimes, they lie, and its really not "unbleached" but "less bleached". I buy organic unbleached bread flour and make wonderful breads, cookies, pie crust, muffins and yes, in a pinch, I have made cakes.

I used the unbleached flour to bake a birthday cake for a friend's dog (since the recipe called for unbleached flour). Didn't seem to rise as well as regular flour would have. But the dogs loved the cake. LOL

I always use bread flour in my bread machine.

Bread flour would probably only make the cookies a bit tougher but not drier. I find a lot of cookie recipes make too dry of a cookie for my liking so I add sour cream. To a recipe that calles for around 2 cups of flour I add 1/4 cup of sour cream. Like in chocolate chip cookies. It softens the cookie but lets the outside edges be nice and crisp. Also overbaking is the main culprit in dry cookies. Always take them out when the edges are turning golden brown but the centers are looking not quite done. Let me know if this helps. I am always curious if others find this useful.

Unbleached Flour is also All-Purpose.

But, you can also buy unbleached self rising flour. FYI: Sams sells 25# bags of bread flour for about what 2 5 lb bags cost

When I first moved to Kentucky, I had trouble finding Unbleached All-Purpose Flour. In the last few months our local WalMart finally started carrying it. I could find lots of self-rising flour, but I don't use that in my baking.

I use King Arthur Flour (they have a great website) and I can interchange these flours with no bad results. If cookies are dry I would assume maybe too much flour to liquid ratio.

I use whatever flour I have on hand.