dry cookie dough problem this year
 

For some reason this year my cookie dough is turning out dry and crumbly, first I thought maybe I added to much flour so measured carefully and didn't put it all in untill I felt I needed it but now the dough was dry and crumbly not sure how these refrigerator cookies will turn out. I am dissapointed. Anyone have any tips.

Did you use butter or margarine in the dough? Perhaps the water content has changed.

The other issue might be the flour. Did you fluff it before measuring? It might have settled down while in the container. Take a few scoops of flour and turn it over or shake the flour container to lighten it.

What size eggs did you use? Perhaps a smaller size = less moisture.

I keep wondering if it is the eggs it seems large eggs are pretty small now days. I used shortning like it called for and it was room temp. This was my second fail batch the first were sour cream cut outs I had to add more butter and sour cream ,these are refigerator cookies and the dough just didn't want to hold together I added a little milk I will see what tomorrow bring with them they still seemed dry

haven't done cookies in few years ..bad wiring in oven. but ..in my cookbooks it does mention flour being too dry because of age or storing humidity. i moved from redwood rainforest to norther desert clime ...big difference in flour texture. may add a little more of any fluid called for in recipe. i also have always used lard in my sugar cookies ..makes for lighter texture, sweeter flavor, just as in pie dough. i almost never use shortening ..1/2 butter & 1/2 lard or total lard, dependent upon recipe.
...and ...one of my cookbooks says a large egg should equate to about 1/3 cup ..they don't anymore. i started using extra large & now only jumbo eggs. if those get small too, i'll have to start measuring liquid quantity of eggs in each recipe calling for them.

when baking, you should weigh your flour, not measure. The moisture amount varies so much in flour based on the humidity.

I had that problem once and added a little milk and it was fine.

I agree with Jane Quilter. Been making bread a lot of years both at home and work.

I was thinking about the eggs. I've had trouble with recipes because I use farm eggs and they aren't as consistently sized and they ones you buy in the store. I have to be aware of picking eggs the right size for use in some baking.

I am also thinking the eggs they seem small not large as we bought, next time I think I will add another egg. The cookies did turn out ok they were icebox cookies . I made a different kind of rolled cookie today and it was fine but did not call for eggs.