i bought all purpose flour from gfs and i was not happy the way my cookie texture with this flour. what is the differnce between all the different all purpose flours. i usually use cake sifted flour for all my cake recipes, that much i know. please help. should i stick to the generic flour.

I have always used all purpose flour for my cookie recipes and I think the texture is ok and no one has ever complained. However...I usually make chocolate chip cookies...so maybe it would be hard to tell! Wish I could be of more help...I do more cakes than I do cookies. Hopefully, some others will post...I know there are several people in CC that make cookies!
traci

thanks

I use all purpose, unbleached unless the recipe tells me to use a specific type.

elena: what kind of cookies were you making? and how did you measure your flour? and where do you live? -- u.s. or canada or elsewhere?

aunt judy, i make ricotta cookies, butter, sugar and i measure with a plastic cup. i live in chicago, i know it can get pretty humid out here but i have been making them for years. but this one all purpose flour still leaves my cookie dough sticky and it shouldn't. but if i add more flour, you can taste the flour.

I have never had a problem using generic flour, however if you are not happy with the results, by all means don't use it. Flour is not an expensive staple, even the name brand flour.

as you mentioned, humidity can effect the performance of a flour. also the batch, where it is prepared for and bought (canadian AP flour is higher in protein than u.s. AP), whether it's sifted before measuring, or whether the measuring is done by weight or volume (cups) can all have an impact on a flour's perfomance. it sounds to me that the flour you've been working with does not absorb liquid very well, leading to a sticky dough, and a floury-tasting dough when you add more flour to the recipe.

as gma1956 suggests, do stop using a brand of flour that doesn't work for you and find one that does (you might want to buy the smallest bag of a brand to try it first, just in case you don't like it). however, it might just be that this flour is bad for baking but might work in other recipes, especially in cooking where the baking properties of the flour aren't quite as crucial (like when making a roux or to coat chicken, etc.)

I use the all purpose flour too... unless the recipe gives a specific one to use.... If I use it as a cake extender, I sift it first.....
cakegal

hey, thanks so much for the responses. i guess i should just stick with the generic type. i just trying to buy it in bulk instead of 5# bags.