I beg to differ from experience. Here's some info I found too. Leavening ingredients help to control spread or size, produces volume and promote proper crust color through regulation of acidity or alkalinity (pH) of the dough. Cookies that are hand dropped, deposited with a pastry tube, or machine deposited, need the spread control of leavening agents. An alkali such as baking soda exerts a weakening effect on the flour proteins (gluten) and helps to promote spreading. Since most cookie ingredients are neutral to slightly acid, they are usually sufficient to neutralize any reasonable quantity of baking soda added. From http://www.bakingandbakingscience.com/cookies.htm AND Puffy For light, puffy cookies, use shortening or margarine and cut back on the amount of fat; add an egg, cut back on the sugar, use cake flour or pastry flour, use baking powder instead of baking soda and refrigerate your dough before baking. From http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Perfect-Cookies/Detail.aspx Also over-mixing can incorporate too much air into the dough, resulting in flat, overly spread-out cookies.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies A modified version of the Quaker Oats VORC (look under the lid). As with all cookie recipes, freezing your chocolate chips and cranberries will make a huge difference in the finished cookie. The chips will hold together under heat and cranberries won't puree in the mixer. Let these cookies cool completely! Ingredients: 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups Quaker Oats - regular, not the instant or overnight 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup chocolate chips - not minis 2 cups cranberries Process: Cream both sugars and the butter until soft and fluffy Add the eggs and vanilla and mix Mix the flour, baking soda, cranberries, and chocolate chips in a large bowl and then add to the mixer and combine at low speed for a minute at most Add the oatmeal and combine at low speed Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper Roll the dough into 1" to 1-1/2" balls and place on the baking sheets Flatten them if you want crispy cookies, otherwise leave them as balls to get chewy centers Bake 13-15 minutes or until the edges start to get brown Cool completely on racks. Yields around 3 dozen cookies

Barb: Pizzelles and Biscotti are always a big hit here. In fact I caught H~~~ , because I didn't have any made for Thanksgiving. And they are only plain with Anise. ************************************** I sent these to my Niece when she was in Bagdad. Packed Biscotti in one airtight container and Pizzelles in another. Don't pack them both in one container. She distributed them to the Marines, who she worked with. They were a hit with them. Asked when more were coming. ******************************** This sounds like a a lot but are very easy. (10 min. Prep) ******************************** Good , Light, Crispy, Delicious, Mouth Watering, To kill for, Lou's Pizzelles 3-X large eggs 1/2 cup (1 stick ) of melted butter ( not hot ) 3 tablespoons of oil 1 cup of Sugar + 3 Tablespoons 4 Teasps. of Anise Extract or 1 Teasp. Anise Oil or Try a little less first and adjust to taste I use McCormickâÂÂs Anise Extract or Anise Oil from FanteâÂÂs of Phila. 1 3/4 cups of flour , add more to thicken 4 level, teaspoons of Baking Powder Mix well, All the ingredients, except the Flour & Baking powder Then add them and mix well. If you think the dough is too soft add a little more flour. I add until the batter peaks , ( a little stiff ) while mixing , and mix with a Tablespoon, to make a soft dough. I use a Mellon Scoop, with a trigger release, to measure the dough. ( it holds one teaspoon ) When baking the Pizzelles pile them far away from where you are baking. Because they are soooo Gooood you will be eating them as you go. This will make about 40 Pizzelles, unless didn't listen and piled them too close. Then you will have about 3 left and gained 2 lb. Save one for me ************************************* LouâÂÂs Biscotti - Basic Anise Flavored Pizzelle Dough can be used to make Biscotti. Just add more flour to make a soft Dough. Divide in two and roll out 2 Logs about 14 inches long. Place them on an oiled cookie tin, separated, to allow for them to grow. Flatten the 2 logs, leaving the center higher. Bake in a Pre heated , 325 Degree oven, 25 to 30 minutes or, Until a golden color on top. While still hot Remove to a cutting board, make a cut, diagonal across; in the center, to remove them from the pan easier. Continue cutting diagonally the size of a Nickel and separate them. When cooled , eat them or place in a Tight container. Whichever comes first !!! There are many variations for flavors and texture. Almond flavors can be substituted. Almonds can be added to the dough. Raisins can also be added. Or they can be put back into the oven and toasted. Ciou !

Thanks for the project. It gave this stay at home something to do for an afternoon. They are more cake like, and don't have the buttery brown sugar taste of the original Tollhouse recipe. So while they are definitely good, I prefer the Tollhouse version, to which I add a couple of extra tablespoons of flour.