I have a business selling thick soft cookies and am thinking about how I will transition into a storefront. The cookies are large, at least 4 oz, and very gooey in the middle straight from the oven. The centers take a long time to set, 40+ mins. While the chips are still melty after the long rest, the cookies aren't warm. It works with custom orders and events because they're baked in advance, eaten at room temp and stay fresh for approx 1 week. No dry cookies! For now I can bake prior to opening and use my current recipe.
However, I'd love to offer fresh warm cookies throughout the day. I'm not trained and my head is spinning from the millions of variables to alter. When baked longer, the exterior gets dark/dry and the inside is still too gooey to serve warm. I've tried multiple recipe variations baked at 350 up to 410 F. I haven't played around with baking powder much but worry they'd be cakey. The only way I've achieved thick cookies with quick solidifying centers is using a dry dough, 1.75 cups flour + 1.4 cups sugar for a typical 1 egg/1 stick butter recipe. Unfortunately it's much less delicious and won't stay soft. I don't ever want someone to say my cookies are dry! Is there a certain ratio I can start with to fix this issue? Is this a matter of home vs commercial oven? Any other thoughts?
However, I'd love to offer fresh warm cookies throughout the day. I'm not trained and my head is spinning from the millions of variables to alter. When baked longer, the exterior gets dark/dry and the inside is still too gooey to serve warm. I've tried multiple recipe variations baked at 350 up to 410 F. I haven't played around with baking powder much but worry they'd be cakey. The only way I've achieved thick cookies with quick solidifying centers is using a dry dough, 1.75 cups flour + 1.4 cups sugar for a typical 1 egg/1 stick butter recipe. Unfortunately it's much less delicious and won't stay soft. I don't ever want someone to say my cookies are dry! Is there a certain ratio I can start with to fix this issue? Is this a matter of home vs commercial oven? Any other thoughts?