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.

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

[QUOTE=roguequilter;7957025
...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.[/QUOTE]

Egg sizes are dictated and enforced by the USDA. I'm a retired chef. I just checked my old text book for the exact information regarding eggs.

A dozen large eggs must weigh at least 24 ounces, including the shell. On average, then, each egg should weigh about 2 ounces, or about 1/4 cup. Extra large eggs are minimum 27 ounces, and Jumbos are minimum 30 ounces. Oftentimes, extra large or jumbo eggs are sold as large eggs, as there is less demand for those larger sizes. The size requirements are minimum requirements and there are no maximum restrictions.

bkay