Aaaarrrrgggg!

[kolka]

Sorry, still new to gluten-free baking and very frustrated.

I made chocolate chip cookies, Bette Hagman's recipe:

1

[RiceGuy]

I'd try less than a 1 to 1 ratio. Last I made cookies, the dough is typically kinda clumpy. That is, you can make a ball out of it and it will stay round, rather than spread like bread dough. Think meatballs, and go for something sorta like that. I typically add a little liquid at a time until I get a good consistency. Putting it all in at once would be asking for trouble with an untested recipe (in my limited gluten-free baking experience).

[DebbieInCanada]

I'm not familiar with using clarified butter. What consistency/temp is it when you use it? does it return to the same type of solid as unclarified butter? I think the "solidity" of the butter is important to the end result. Kind of like the difference between using butter, melted butter, or oil in a recipe - they all make a different consistency in the dough. I think Riceguy is correct - if there is additional liquid in the recipe, cut it back and check the texture of the dough. If there isn't, I would be tempted to add an extra tablespoon of flour. Too much will make it dry. I think there is a very fine line between "enough" and "too much".

Don't think of the cookies as wasted, especially if they taste ok. Think of their potential as a cookie crumb crust...

I know it's frustrating to learn this all over, when you thought you had it mastered. I found that I just adjusted my expectations for a while - things may not look perfect every time, but if I get an edible product, that's a good thing!

Don't give up.

Debbie

[missy'smom]

Spectrum makes an organic non-hydrogenated shortening. It is made with palm oil. Go to spectrumorganics.com

I found it at Meijer. Just a regular no frills market.

[mamatide]

I'm sorry you wasted a whole cup of butter... not sure why you clarified it? I wouldn't do that with the following...

How about a whole new recipe, tried and true. I typed it up for ya. No flour blends to work with just straight up recipe. The only substituing I've ever done is to omit the nuts as we're nut-free (present company excluded LOL!)....

These are excellent chocolate chip cookies. I make them all the time for my dd to bring to school/girl guides and the kids ask for them. HIGHLY recommend:

from Canadian Living Magazine.

Chewy Crisp Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 cups brown rice flour

1 cup potato starch

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xantham gum

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup pecan (optional - we're nut free)

3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Line rimless baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with granulated and brown sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, potato and tapioca starches, baking soda, xantham gum and salt; stir in chocolate chips, pecans and coconut. Pour over butter mixture, stir to combine.

Drop by 1 Tbsp, about 2 inches apart onto prepared pans. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350F oven, rotating an switching pans halfway through, until light golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool completely.

Makes about 10 dozen.

NOTE FROM ME: I make half of them in the oven and put the rest of the cookie dough in a container in the fridge to make later, up to 3-4 days later. Or to scoop for a little cookie dough treat.

Also, these are especially good warmed in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

Trust me, these are great.

[2Boys4Me]

I can't comment on the butter/crisco substitutions, but something I will suggest is chilling the dough before baking.

Everytime I make cookies and DON'T chill the dough first, they spread like crazy. I put the mixing bowl in the fridge for about 20 - 30 minutes and then form cookies and bake. Put the bowl back in the fridge between batches of baking. (I don't have a convection oven, so I bake one cookie sheet at a time.)

[kolka]

Thanks for the responses. I will chill the other half of the dough overnight and try baking it tomorrow.

Clarified butter - I clarify the butter because my dd is casein-free. She can't have any dairy except clarified butter and that's because when you clarify butter, the casein is removed. We can't eat crisco or margarine for health reasons. Therefore, the only options are clarified butter, coconut oil and lard.

Where do you buy non-hydrogenated lard? Do Spanish or Asians markets have it?

[zansu]

Alton Brown actually did a choc chip episode where he explained the difference in the structure and texture of the cookies with shortening vs butter. even non-clarified butter will spread more and make thinner cookies than ones with shortening. has to do with the types of fat and their chemical structures and reactions with the flours. I wish I remembered more. Clarifying may further change that structure.

But it's worth trying with chilled batter. That can make a BIG difference.

[tarnalberry]

Sorry, still new to gluten-free baking and very frustrated.

I made chocolate chip cookies, Bette Hagman's recipe:

1

[kolka]

Thanks for the Alton Brown tip.

I baked the second batch just now this morning after being in the fridge all night and they still spread like crazy. So, I'll cut back on the amount of butter next time? There's nothing that I can cut back on - still need two eggs. There's no other liquid in it.

I'm just so frustrated, using the butter, flours, the time that goes into it and then it turns out to be all wasted.

[tarnalberry]

I'm just so frustrated, using the butter, flours, the time that goes into it and then it turns out to be all wasted.

But you said that they were still tasty? So it doesn't sound like it was all wasted at all...

I say this only to emphasize the fact that you may need to change your expectations of the appearance of food, along with *exactly* what it tastes like, as gluten-free stuff will cook a bit differently. But hopefully getting the moisture down right will help. I've never had cookies be terribly particular, but I don't bake them that often. (I'm a muffin girl. )

[RiceGuy]

If your next attempt is still too moist, you could put together an additional batch, and make it on the dry side. Then mix it with the first. I've accidentally added too much liquid on a number of occasions, and I just sprinkled in some extra flour to offset the mistake. Once you make a few batches of something, you get to know how the dough/batter should be. So you don't always have to bake it to find out when it's too far from the mark.

[lonewolf]

We can't eat crisco or margarine for health reasons. Therefore, the only options are clarified butter, coconut oil and lard.

Missy's mom made a good suggestion that I'll second. Spectrum makes a great non-hydrogenated shortening that works well in baking. We can't/won't eat Crisco or any margarine and I won't eat hydrogenated oils. Try the Spectrum - it might be the perfect solution for you.

[wolfie]

Sorry, still new to gluten-free baking and very frustrated.

I made chocolate chip cookies, Bette Hagman's recipe:

1