I watched a YouTube video today, where a chef showed the difference between measurements of a level cup of flour right out of the package and that same measurement after she sifted it. She had put 3 cups in and got almost 4 cups after it was sifted. I was very surprised because most of our flours say pre-sifted. She used a wire strainer similar to this https://www.webstaurantstore.com/tab...ent=Smallwares

So, I would guess you had too much flour in your mixture. And the eggs are smaller these days. I have had problems with some oatmeal cookies I have made lately. I am guessing this is my problem too.

In my cookie book 1 egg equals 1/4 cup or add water till it does.

Thanks I will have to measure my eggs now.
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Making cookies used to be so quick and simple. Not any more it seems.

At work I weigh everything or if working from a non-commercial recipe, I carefully spoon flour into the cup measure without letting it settle and use a knife to level it off. (I use a dry measure cup, not the kind with the spout.)

Also, if you overbeat your sugar and butter when you cream them, it will make your end product drier.

Eggs should also be added and beaten in one at a time.

(You ladies likely all know all this, but just in case someone doesn't.)

Watson

Always use butter in cookies. Works much better and tastes soooo much better and keeps better. They even get better tasting after storage.
I've always heard a large egg should be 1/4 c. My daughter had an egg (a chicken egg, not a duck egg), that weighed 3.5 ounces. That's almost half a cup! Yes, it would be a good idea to measure your eggs.

ive had similar issues, ive tried this, my recipe calls for brown sugar, i use dark drown as the higher molasses content holds in moisture better [same idea as why you brine a turkey to keep it moist] cut the sugars in to the butter with a fork, then for the eggs , if it calls for two i will take three, crack them in a cup and stir, not beat, then add the egg to the sugars, 2 by eye and see how it comes together, if it feels less sticky and more dry add bits more of the remaining egg, use fresher ap flour and mix it in stages, if that batch still is dry and crumbly then next batch add a table spoon or two of honey or molasses ,
these ideas are mostly based on choc chip cookies, but the principles can be applied to most .

cookie zhen master "be one with the cookie"

I found that organic range free eggs are the right size for large eggs. A little over 1/4 cup per egg. You get more egg per dozen.

I've haven't see eggs sold as being small or med size like they use too. Now it's large or extra large. I think the large size eggs were once regular size and the extra large are what were large. I keep a carton of egg whites to add to regular eggs to get the right amount for baking. I buy from a local egg person and the eggs are all different sizes.

I messured my eggs they are within a tablespoon of a quarter cup I think I have things figred out now I am also sifting my flour. The last cookies turned out as expected!! Yea