Cookie Curse

There was a time that I prided myself on my chocolate chip cookies.

Then we moved to Nebraska, and everything fell apart.  I like to blame it on the oven, but perhaps I lost my cookie baking mojo, or perhaps I was being punished for my prideful proud feelings every time I baked cookies.

Whatever the case, whatever the cause, I could no longer bake delicious looking cookies.  See, they still tasted delicious.  They just looked... awful.  I got so frustrated that I stopped baking cookies.  When I wanted a cookie, I'd either talk myself into brownies, or I would bake them in a baking dish, like what are they called?  You know... the word is eluding me right now.  Well, that's really neither here nor there.

It all came to a climax on the fourth of July.  I had this idea that was so novel and so exciting and you've probably all seen it a million times - I was going to bake cookies with red and blue m&m's and flakes of white chocolate.  I could see them in my mind, so plump and chocolatey looking like the cover of a really shiny magazine.

Then I pulled the first batch out of the oven.  I cried a little.  I stomped my foot.  I followed all that with a fit of bad temper the likes of which I haven't displayed since middle school as I stormed out of the kitchen vowing to never bake again.  (Yes, terrifically immature I know.  I am more than a little ashamed, and would love to leave that part out of the story, but that wouldn't be honest.  I'm not going to be prideful, immature, and dishonest all in one post.  That's too much.)


Well, Devin finished that batch for me and I was off cookies for a while.  Then we met the incredibly nice lady the girls have dubbed "The Cat Lady" - not because she owns cats, but because, you remember? she helped us rescue one.

I completely forgot that I had been cookie cursed, until it was time to take the first batch out.  I was so nervous.  But then, it seemed like maybe things had turned out alright for me this time after all!

 My support team.  I started off with a larger support team, but once the spoon licking events were over, they vanished.

Is the curse lifted?

Comments

  1. MamaBAugust 13, 2012 at 11:10 PM

    The curse is lifted! Now come and see if my oven is good for your cookies!

    ReplyDelete
  2. "M"August 14, 2012 at 12:25 AM

    I've had the same problem! Ever since moving to NY, I'm great at making cupcakes, but my famous cookies are just not turning out properly. (Not too thrilled about the non-convection oven we have here so everything burns on the bottom, and it's tilted too, so even my cakes come out lop-sided!)
    Glad to hear you got your cookie mojo back. You make the cookies and I'll make the cupcakes and we'll call it a party!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mimi CollettAugust 14, 2012 at 6:31 AM

    Those cookies look delicious!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. heatherAugust 14, 2012 at 6:41 AM

    I feel I have the same problem with cookies. I can never make them turn out right and I've been trying for years and years! These look great. Are you willing to share the recipe and I'll test it in Utah!?

    ReplyDelete
  5. RachelAugust 14, 2012 at 7:33 AM

    Maybe your oven runs hot? You could try baking them at a lower temp.

    On a related note, I have a cookie recipe book, which usually has the cookies bake at a lower temp, but for a longer time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AlisonAugust 14, 2012 at 8:26 AM

    I would definitely eat those. They look amazing!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. SarahAugust 14, 2012 at 12:46 PM

    I will have to taste one to truly see if the curse was lifted. They do look practically perfect though.

    ReplyDelete
  8. h51773August 14, 2012 at 3:18 PM

    I woke up this morning and went on a run, only to come home to this post. I attempted to curse you then, but blogger saved you. I have calmed down and fed myself since, but will recurse you if you don't write enough posts in the next few days to get these cookie pictures out of my sight. Your only other option is to send them to me so that I can determine if indeed the curse was lifted... your choice.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ErinAugust 14, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    I had the same problem for a while. It was particularly odd since most of the recipes I used had come from my mom who had got them from her mom or mother-in-law, both of whom live in Utah. But for me, as soon as I moved from NJ to Utah, every cookie would spread really funny and just not rise like they're supposed to. Oh, and in Utah we had the problem of them going stale super-fast, even in a plastic bag. That at least was resolved by moving back to a wonderfully humid climate, but the spreading/non-rising issues weren't. I tried fresh baking soda/powder with no luck, tried different sheets and so on. But this past year I made them with white whole wheat flour and suddenly all was right in the cookie world again. No idea why that made the difference, but it's the only thing that had changed.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Megan SayerAugust 14, 2012 at 7:14 PM

    Here's my little secret, but it only works if you have a Pampered Chef baking stone, bake them 1 minute LESS then the recipe tells you to and then pull them out and let them sit on the stone for 1 minute, immediately transfer to a cooling rack. They will stay gooey and soft longer. You do have a weird oven...go down to you new neighbor 4 doors down and borrow their oven, I know it works :) miss you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  11. SarahAugust 16, 2012 at 2:19 PM

    Those look delicious. I have heard that elevation makes a difference. Could it be you need to add or eliminate a T of flour? My cookies never were something to brag about. . .

    ReplyDelete
  12. Emily (Turner) MonroeSeptember 2, 2012 at 10:12 PM

    So, I'm obviously a few weeks behind on this post but I just had to comment. As one who also suffers from a cookie curse I found the following website and it helped me problem solve. If you scroll to the bottom of the page she has a list of possible CCC (choc chip cookies) problems and their solutions with pics included. Good luck and may the cookie fairy be with you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Emily (Turner) MonroeSeptember 2, 2012 at 10:18 PM

    www.theperfectchocolatechipcookie.com/instruct.php
    If that doesn't work just go to the website theperfectchocolatechipcookie.com and click on their dessert recipes then go to "the perfect choc chip cookie"

    ReplyDelete

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