Elizabeth is right, cold as can be will fix it. I've also read using a silpat (silicone mat) can help keep them from spreading.

I think you need a hotter oven. Also, if you reduced the butter a bit, they might spread less. I've never baked cookies at 300°.

That happened to me once when I used expired baking powder.

Hmmm. Thanks, all. I actually did chill some of the dough before I baked them, as I was low on time and only wanted to make some at that point. I also baked some frozen. And my baking powder was brand new. Maybe it's the hotter oven that Lars mentioned? I, too, thought that 300 was very low. Maybe it's supposed to be 350.

I have an old Mrs. Fields cookie cookbook, and most of the recipes cook them at 300, and for longer than 20 minutes. I agree with Lars that's a lot of butter, and that could be contributing. I'm not afraid of butter but my favorite choc chip cookie recipe uses half that amount, and they set up better than let's say, the old standby Tollhouse cookie recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag.

It's the butter, Try using half butter and half solid shortening (butter flavor ii you prefer the taste). IME, neither chilling well nor silpat sheets will have any effect on the spread.......it is the butter content.

I'd also question the oven temp. The less time baking the less chance of spread, so hotter oven for less time. I bake virtually every cookie recipe at 350F and check the bake before stated time and then make adjustments.

Thanks for posting the recipe. I stayed at Hilton twice this past summer and loved those cookies.

I checked the Toll House recipe and they use 2 sticks of butter but bake at 375.

Or try using "baking sticks" (margarine with 100 calories per TBSP). What all the responses are getting at is melt: Overspread.usually comes from liquidity of the fat. Ddi you use a cookie scoop to portion? That's straight sided, rather than round like an ice cream scoop.. It looks like the cookies in the picture were made with one. That might also affect the shape of the cookie as the butter melts and it spreads. Size is a consideration too. If you think that's having an effect, you can try shaping the portions and matching their size. And, of course, if you have an oven thermometer, you can check your calibration. There's no way to know how accurate the oven(s) used to write up the recipe were.

I did wonder at the lower temperatures seen in some current recipes if the oven was a convection oven. Perhaps someone on here that has a family member working in hospitality could ask or say. Hot air could dry the surface preventing the spread.

When I see a recipe that states put in a 350 oven for 5 to 7 minutes until brown it makes me wonder what kind of oven will brown anything in that short of time.

Following their recipe, is it possible you over-creamed the butter and sugar? It should be mixed well, but not fluffy as for a cake. Any "fluffiness" will happen in the next step as you mix in the eggs. Also, you wrote baking powder, but the recipe called for baking soda -- not sure that's critical for cookies, but maybe?

Their recipe is very similar to my family oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe, main differences being ours uses more oatmeal (about 2 cups instead of one half cup) and I use 3/4 cup Crisco and 1/4 cup butter.

Sometimes it's nice to enjoy a delicious cookie no matter how it looks! Yum!

My Nestle recipe for Tollhouse Cookies seems to spread a little too much for me. To remedy spreading too think, I usually add one or two more tablespoons of flour.

Ok, thanks everyone. I'll try the various suggestions (and yes, you're right, nickel, that I said baking powder. I meant baking soda). Will update later on any results from your suggestions.!

Just FYI, I follow America’s Test Kitchen and there were several who commented they were skeptical of the low temperature for baking these cookies. Everyone did exactly follow the recipe and had great results, including a chewy center, crispy edges and a great cookie. A couple did leave out the walnuts from half the recipe and those spread a bit more. So I don’t think it was your oven temp unless your oven isn’t calibrated correctly.

I would guess it could be either a butter that contains more water than butterfat or not having cold dough as previous posters suggest. Edited to add, you could try a mix of butter and butter flavored shortening.

I was told the flour needs to be fresh...I always admire those cookies that almost stay in a clump after it's baked. My neighbor made the best peanut butter chocolate chip cookies...her's stay nice and round an clumped when they were done.

I never have spread with the Nestle Toll House recipe using 2 sticks of butter. I chill the dough, often overnight, and form it into balls for baking. With the right recipe, you can definitely use all butter for optimum flavor without the cookies spreading. I agree the low oven temp sounds off. Seems coupled with the longer baking time could promote spreading.

ETA - Any chance you used an insulated cookie sheet? They can sometimes promote spreading since they heat slower. I use non-insulated, heavy aluminum cookie sheets that are light in color. I find they bake evenly and quickly with minimal spreading.

Well. If chilling the dough overnight is a recipe requirement, how come the Tollhouse cookie recipe doesn't mention chilling the dough overnight.

However, chloebud has a good suggestion to try a different type of cookie sheet. I use 2-ply, no rim sheets, I think they were called Air Bake or something like that. Tollhouse cookies never worked for me, but half the butter for that same amount of flour and sugar works fine. I use 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. They come out great every time.

"I, too, thought that 300 was very low. Maybe it's supposed to be 350."

I think 300 is what they intended. If not, the baking time of 20-23 minutes would be off for 350.

I'd say with a few exceptions, most cookies bake at 350. You can try some of the suggestions here for using less butter. I can't think of a single cookie recipe where I've had to reduce the butter (or sub for it) to prevent spreading. Trust me, it can be done and butter = more flavor.

Mrs. S, I don't think chilling the dough is a requirement as much as a preference. However, I do think it might be helpful if it was at least suggested with recipes. I'm not sure why it's often omitted. You mentioned Air Bake. Yes, that was the brand of insulated sheets I bought when they first came on the market years ago. It took some research for me to find out they were the cause of a spreading problem, especially with my cut-out sugar cookies where shape is more important. It never occurred to me those cookie sheets could be the problem. All was fine again once I got rid of them.

Here are some hints from King Arthur flour...https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2014/10/26/one-reason-cookies-spread

I had a weird thing happen with butter last week. We always buy Land O Lakes unless the store is out of it and we have to substitute. My husband brought home a pound of Walnut Creek butter which was fine until my husband melted a stick by mistake when he tried to soften it. He put the melted butter in a tiny bowl and it firmed up as usual. Weird thing was when I put my knife it in, under the solid surface was milk. I never had that happen before. Sure enough, on the box it said it contained milk in addition to the pasteurized cream. When I bought more Land O Lakes later, it also lists milk on the box, but I never had liquid separate like that in their butter.

I agree it could be the sheet or pan you used. I have one of those smooth heavier sided pans that allows cookie dough to spread more than the open sided cookie sheets. Check that before you doctor the recipe. My sister-in-law made those cookies last week and she didn’t mention any problem.

My grandmother always baked a test cookie when making Tollhouse cookies. There can be variations in how much moisture is in the butter, how big the eggs are, etc. Then she would adjust with more flour or more liquid.

When I was in college a housemate was about to throw out her cookie dough because the cookies spread too much. I asked if I could try to save it. I added flour and the cookies were fine.

Didn't check the King Arthur link yet, but I understand that flour can absorb moisture from the environment and that can affect results.

I had this happen only when I bought “ cheap” butter. When I went back to a better brand the problem was solved.

I checked the KA link regarding spreading. I'm surprised they don't even mention chilling the dough. I was also surprised they suggested exactly what the Double Tree recipe instructs...lower oven temp and longer baking time. I would think a lower temp would promote spreading. Seems the butter would melt before the cookies have a chance to set...?

IDK...I've been baking cookies a very long time, and chilling the dough REALLY WELL is the simple key, along with the right baking sheet.

In the old Betty Crocker or is it Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, it says that if they spread too much, you need to add more flour. It also suggests doing a test cookie.

I thought the KA link was interesting in that it spoke to too much sugar as a reason for spreading...and the science behind it.

I don't chill my cookie dough unless it's a cut cookie or something like that that needs it, but I do usually start with cold ingredient, rather than the room temperature that one would do for cakes.

Given all the info, I'd also guess that the problem is the cookie sheets. I've had great luck on good old fashioned thin aluminum cookie sheets, and also do fine with steel. I do still think those vertical sides come from a cookie scoop, but the overspread may well be from a too hot cookie sheet. That kind of spread happens when people put liquid oil in, in place of butter--the fat is just too liquid (melty).

Thanks for the KA link. I too thought it was interesting re the science of too much sugar being a reason for spreading.

I’ll bet the pan has something to do with it too, and chilling the dough.

You can tell a cheaper grade of butter if it ‘pops’ in the microwave when you melt it. Butter with added milk for example instead of more cream or butterfat will splatter more.

Flour is always a variable measurement even when you weigh it....mainly due to the water it may absorb....and how tightly it is packed.
Always bake a test cookie.....and if needed add a little more flour, or a dribble of milk if they are too lump like.....and that way you will know if you forgot the salt or vanilla or baking powder before you bake a whole batch.

Butter over crisco type fat always gets one flatter cookies....

As good as Doubletree Cookies are, I am doubtful that each hotel mixes up their own individual batches as in the video. I'd expect them to ship in frozen dough, probably in rolls, that the individual hotel kitchens slice and bake, which would also help achieve uniform size and shape. That's just my guess -- and I'll eat their cookies any day regardless of where the dough is assembled -- does anyone know for sure?

Good point about the quality of butter varying from brand to brand. That's why I chose one brand and stick (ha ha!) to it. Also, I was surprised that all shortenings are not the same. I usually use Crisco, recently tried a cheaper IGA brand. Straight from the fridge, Crisco was much creamier, the IGA shortening was hard and waxy. Back to Crisco for me.

I mentioned on another thread, the 'time to bake some snacks...' I think, to consider doing a test bake with just a few or a small batch bake. Especially trying a recipe for the first time. I do like recipes that mention that. Similarly, I do taste a small bit of pan-seared meatball mix, to check for seasoning, before forming.

Especially now with ingredients being in short supply!

Could be any combination of things mentioned above.

I picked up my first 2 fancy French cookie sheets 30 yrs ago in a fancy cooking supply store in Manhattan. (on deep discount sale no doubt). Turns out they are carbon steel. My first batch of cookies spread and filled the pan. Back then I knew nothing about anything. -I love these sheet pans and use them daily. But only for veg roasting, etc. They both live in my oven 24/7.

One of the better baking scientists is StellaParks. I keep running across her in various places. (she writes for SeriousEats). She broke down the science in the Tates brand cookie. The thin and crispy. Pulsing the flour and butter together first,...etc.

Refrigerate the dough and use parchment on the cookie sheet. Two sticks of butter is an awful lot to cream with only 1 1/2 cups of sugar. I wonder if that's a mistake. The other thing that seems like way too much are the chocolate chips. The recipe says 26 cookies - that's a crazy amount of chocolate chips. Just looked at the recipe says 3 TB of batter per cookie. That would make a huge cookie!

huge and full o' chips -- yum!!!

"Two sticks of butter is an awful lot to cream with only 1 1/2 cups of sugar. I wonder if that's a mistake."

jerzeegril, it seems correct to me. I'm not that good with baking science, but I checked some other recipes I've used from, among others, Dorie Greenspan, Ina Garten, Nancy Baggett and Martha Stewart. For two sticks of butter, the sugar ranged from l 1/4 to 1 2/3 cups of sugar with 1 1/2 cups (combination of granulated and brown) being most common.

It may be right but it's giving me a heart attack just thinking about it! That's .62 TB of butter per cookie!

Definitely yes when you use 3 T. of dough per cookie. I just noticed that with the Double Tree recipe. Those are BIG cookies! Of course, cookie size is just a preference. Still, butter is butter and, unfortunately, adds great flavor.

I guess my point is that I followed the recipe EXACTLY as Doubletree posted (including the size of the scoop and using parchment paper) and mine came out looking much different from theirs. I'll enjoy them because they're delicious, and will perhaps try doctoring (a touch more flour, a bit less butter, etc. as many of you have suggested) next time so that they look more attractive.

Suzieque, sometimes it's just the recipe and not you. I'm glad you can still enjoy them! :-) If I get around to it, I might halve the recipe just to try it.