I was dead set against using a kitchen scale for baking until I ruined 3 batches of cookies in one afternoon

I always thought measuring cups were good enough. Been baking for 15 years, never had issues. Then last Tuesday I tried a new chocolate chip recipe from a blog I like. First batch came out flat as pancakes. Second batch I added extra flour by eye and they turned into hockey pucks. Third batch I followed the cups exactly and still got a weird texture. My wife finally made me use her little digital scale she got from Target for like 15 bucks. Turns out my flour scooping was off by almost 30 grams each time. Now I weigh everything and my bread actually comes out consistent. Anyone else fight switching to a scale for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

gracethomas15d ago

Ugh the flat cookie struggle is real. I spent a whole Saturday last month making what I called "cookies" but they were basically just greasy puddles. My sister brought her scale over after I cried about batch number four. Turns out I was packing flour so hard into the cup it was like I was using concrete. Now I weigh everything even my salt. Best fifteen bucks I ever spent.

the_alice15d ago

Wait, you cried over batch number four? Because same, honestly, but it was batch six for me and I threw a wooden spoon across the kitchen. My husband now hides the measuring cups and just leaves the scale out like a passive aggressive hint.

blair_chen8115d ago

Used to mock my buddy who weighed his flour. Figured I'd been doing it by feel forever and it was fine. Three batches of sourdough that looked like frisbees later, I ordered one off Amazon at 2am. Now I tell everyone to just get the scale and save yourself the headache.

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