Crunchie Cookies!

just wanted to add that at a higher altitude if you want the moist cookies use real butter instead of margarine--also right after you take the cookies out of the oven drop the cookie sheet about 2 inches onto the counter or stove top it deflates the air out before they dry making them more dense and moist. GL!!

I'm not a great baker but in the meantime I know that storing your cookies in a closed container with a slice of apple moistens them up!

Did you adjust at all for altitude? Most recipes should be adjusted for high altitude by changing the recipe, temperature, and/or time because water and other liquids evaporate faster and boil at lower temperatures at high altitude; also levening gases in breads and cakes expand more and faster. You will have a little bit of trial and error, but I'd suggest that you decrease the amount of baking powder or soda a little, raise the oven temperature by 20° or so, slightly shorten the cooking time, and increase the amount of liquid in the recipe by a couple of tablespoons for each cup of flour.

You aren't dealing with just humidity but altitude. With oatmeal you need to add some extra water to the recipe, maybe 1/4 of a cup, and let the dough sit for 15 mins before baking to give the oatmeal a change to absorb the moisture. For the altitude cut your levening in half.

This happened to my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe when we moved from the beach to Idaho and I finally got it right. Read about high altitude cooking and then keep trying until you get the amount of extra flour and baking powder right. I ended up adding an entire tsp instead of 1/2 tsp of baking powder as well as 1/4c extra flour and they finally taste right

Applesauce...
That's all I can think of at the time. I know there are other ideas.
You could check out www.allrecipes.com for comparison ideas too.

Believe it or not adding more flour! adds moisture to cookies. I keep everything else the same. Take them out when just the bottoms are golden brown. Don't let the tops get too brown. They may seem soft when you take them out but they will continue cooking a bit and be perfect.

I know there are websites for high altitude cooking. Adding flour and also cooking at a lower temperature for longer than your recipe calls for works for breads and cakes...might work for cookies too.

I don't have a good answer but I would love it someone would help me understand why flour makes them more moist? It seems like that would make them more dry?
Thanks!

I know the problem well! I moved from here to sea level and then back a couple times. The general rule is to lower the baking temperature and cook them longer. I lower the temp about 25 degrees for any kind of baked good. For cookies, the cook time ends up to be about 8-10 minutes for a sheet. You have to watch them a bit at first until you get to know your oven. Don't let them brown quite as much as usual.

One item that helps is if you get an air-bake baking sheet. They don't get as hard as quickly if you use an air-bake sheet.

Hi A. -

Here's a few ideas:

1.dont overbake. Take them out of the oven before they look done, when they are brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet - they will continue to bake while on the pan.

2. you might consider adding shredded apple to your dough.

3. Always store your cookies in a ziplock bag when they are just cooled.

I like to make peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I take the standard tollhouse recipe and use 1/2 cup each of peanut butter and butter instead of 1cup butter. I substitute 1-1.5 cups of oatmeal for flour. I mix it all together and then add flour until I get the right consistency. The dough should not be sticky. Store in airtight container.

Hi A.,
I agree with the other post that said, more flour.(I am also in Utah) It sounds like you are familiar with this recipe and what the dough should look like. I would recommend making the recipe as you normally would, and then adding more flour, a little at a time, until the dough is the consistancy you are used to.
When following choc. chip recipes I find that I end up adding 1/4 to 1/3 cup more flour to get a moist cookie.
Take care,
B.

I've found that adding some sour cream keeps things much softer!!!

Number one is do not overbake when you live in a higher climate. Just a touch of brown so they have to set up a bit before you take them off the sheet. You know the dough and make it like it should look. To much flour and they don't flatten also. Then for storage add a slice of bread. They will stay moist and the bread will get hard. Replace bread as needed. I also use butter not shortening for soft cookies.

yup, pretty much what everyone else has said. I had to relearn how to cook and bake when I moved back from Hawaii, and again when I moved to Colorado from the East Coast. Basically, the higher elevation takes about 1/4-1/2 cup more flour, the time to bake is less, and I need to turn the temp in my oven up 25 degrees (350 in the recipe becomes 375 in my oven).

Rest assured that over time you'll get used to it. Then you'll move again and have to figure things out again! :)

I always add extra flour for high-altitude (I'm in Utah). It usually makes things more moist and chewy. I'll usually add at least an extra Tablespoon of white flour to a cake mix or a cookie recipe. Hope this helps!