Resist the urge to speed through your baking by putting fresh dough on a just-out-of-the-oven cookie sheet. The hot surface causes the butter in your dough to melt faster, which can lead to flat, spread-out cookies that have less-than-perfect looks and texture.
How to Keep Cookies from...
Flattening: The biggest culprit behind flat cookies is butter that’s melted or too soft. Also make sure to let baking sheets cool completely between batches, otherwise hot pans can make cookies fall flat.
Spreading: Just like us, cookies need a little breathing room, so make sure to space cookie dough about 2 inches apart. You should be able to comfortably fit a dozen cookies on most baking sheets.
Burning: A few things can cause your cookies to burn: using a dark cookie sheet, adding too much sugar, baking at too high a heat, or simply over-baking.
Baking unevenly: Use a cookie scoop to ensure a uniform size of cookies. They’ll bake consistently and you won’t have larger cookies being underdone while smaller ones are tough.
