So I finally tried weighing my flour instead of scooping

For years I just used the scoop and sweep method with my measuring cups, and my cookies were always a bit off. Last week I got a cheap kitchen scale for $15 and weighed out 120 grams of flour for a batch of chocolate chip cookies instead of using the cup. The difference was crazy. The dough looked right from the start, not too dry or sticky. They baked up perfectly thick and chewy, not flat and crispy like my old ones. My roommate even asked what I did different. I feel dumb for not trying this sooner. Has anyone else had a simple switch like this that fixed a long-running baking problem?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice891mo ago

My mom's old bread recipe always failed until I started using a thermometer for the water. Turns out I was killing the yeast with water that was way too hot.

the_eric1mo ago

My grandma's cookie recipe from 1978 just called to say it forgives me for all those dry batches.

sageadams23d ago

You ever watch any of those baking science videos where they break down gluten development? I saw one that explained how different flours absorb liquid at different rates depending on how they're packed, so weighing gives you the same hydration every time. That's probably why your cookies came out so consistent. I tried it with pizza dough and it made a bigger difference than I expected too.