My sister swore by weighing flour for cookies, and I finally tried it.

She's a pastry chef in Austin and has told me for years to stop using cups for flour. Last weekend, I made my usual chocolate chip recipe but weighed the flour instead of scooping. I used 360 grams for what should have been three cups. The dough was much firmer, and the cookies spread less and kept a better shape. I got about two dozen cookies that were all the same, which never happens for me. Has anyone else made the switch to a scale and noticed a big change in their results?

3 comments

3 Comments

corastone1mo ago

My mom's old banana bread recipe was always hit or miss until I weighed the flour. Turns out my "cup" was packing in almost 50 extra grams. The loaf stopped sinking in the middle. It's wild how much a scoop can vary.

rayadams1mo ago

Guess my mom's old recipe just worked with the extra flour.

rayking1mo ago

Weighing ingredients is the real fix. That sinking middle usually means too much flour or not enough leavening. Your heavy cup was throwing off the whole balance. Baking is just chemistry, and you finally gave it the right amounts. Good on you for figuring it out.