I'm actually looking for a little .....well, misery loves company.... Understanding. I can't seem to bake or decorate a cookie to save my life lately! My dough is either too crumbly or too soft, they either bake hard or stay raw in the middle. However, last night I managed to get non-spread, I made dough, cut out, then put in fridge for 30 or so minutes and straight into oven. Much better. BUT, one batch looked like a cracked desert ground, and the other batch was almost raw in the middle. Has anyone else experienced times like these? Will I ever get my cookie groove back?

Have you checked your oven? When the elements start to go, they fluctuate in temperature. Makes your baking a tad strange.

EEEEEEEK. It really, really sounds like your oven. My MIL's did that for months before it went kaput. You might want to have someone come out and take a look at it.

Awwww. My favorite little expression! I must say this 10 times a day, and 20 on baking days! Sometimes "heck" is spelled a little different though

I agree with 7yyrt, it could be your oven. But also could just be the humidity outside OR inside. I have ALOT of problems when certain days are way humid or wet or ... you name it ... at least this is what I like to blame it on! Not our baking, NO NO!

I had the same problems this week allready. And have about 100 more to do b4 the week is over. So Ive been stressing about it too.

Of course you'll get your groove back! Your one of my fav cookieators here - you better! ... I love your cookies. So just keep doing what your doing and eventually all the cookie Stars will align again!

Im here miser-rating with you! You are NOT alone!

I have had the worst luck with my RI this past week. The weather here is beautiful. Warm--not humid (supposed to be 80 today). I am glad to see I am not alone in my struggles. Happens to the best of y'all.
I have found that some times walking away and trying again later helps. Just my 2 cents.

Good luck & happy baking.
Remember it IS only temporary!

Oh, but I wish I could blame my oven...it's brand new! May be the problem! I bought it to help with cookies, it's a convection, Not cheap, so I've got to make it work. Thanks for all the miser-rating, I need it! I'll see how my decorating gets on tonight. I've got to fake my ability, got lots of valentine cookies to do this weekend. I tried a mess-up on one of the desert crack cookies, it tasted wonderful, was just crunchy. Thanks for y'all's support, that's what CC does best!
Thanks Gaye, you're too sweet! (Git it, sweet?!)

Even though it's new you may want to get someone out to check it for sure. My new oven needed a bit of a tweaking last year and I had paid a lot for it too. I was a bit ticked off but the guy who came out and did the adjustment said sometimes in moving and installing things get a little out of whack. It should still be under warranty so it shouldn't cost you anything. HTH

Also - make sure ALL of your ingredients are still good and haven't exceeded the expiration date. A friend of mine couldn't get a cake to rise for the life of her and had a guy come out to calibrate her oven, she bought an entire set of new cake pans, etc. and the problem was that she was using baking powder that was well over a year expired!

I've learned to start with the simplest solution first, then go from there.

Good Luck!

Fake it?? Im over here just shaking my head @ you Shiney!! Well, @ least faking it sometimes is what we gals do best! j/k!

Sweet?? Me?? More like the desert crack cookies!! Thanx Shiney, and let us know how it goes for you tonight! Good Luck ... and Im sending super sweet sugar fairy dust your way!

Sometimes if youoveat the butter - sugar mixture you might get lots of cracks. So maybe if you had beaten the mixture too much?

I don't know Shiney - maybe its the day. I've baked all day and am not at all happy with my cookies. And these are supposed to be samples to get customers. I thought to myself "if I received one of these, I probably wouldn't order any of them". Even my chocolate covered oreos came out terrible.
Must be something in the air. good luck

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n5_v192/ai_15413351
Cakes, cookies, muffins, quick breads, yeast breads

A convection oven produces more even browning, slightly greater volume, and, sometimes, a lighter texture.

Reduce oven temperature 25 |degrees~ from conventional recipes. Preheat oven. Cooking time may be the same or 10 to 25 percent less than in conventional baking.

For most baked goods, temperature adjustment is critical to the texture: the moving hot air cooks the outside first and could solidify the structure before it has a chance to rise, producing a heavy, dense result.

Convection-baked cookies are superb. We baked three pans of sugar cookies at a time in preheated ovens, reducing the temperature 25 |degrees~. Unlike a standard oven, which requires switching pans midway to achieve consistent results, the circulating hot air baked all the cookies evenly without changing pan positions, and in a slightly shorter time. Some ovens accommodate four or five pans.

7yyrd: Wow, thanks for the info! I did lower 25, thinking about trying even lower to get the inside done. BUT, the longer in the oven, the more dried out they will become??? I'm not getting the rise I want, but at least they didn't spread since putting them in fridge for a while!

Oh! The old "I've lost my cookie grove". Yes, Shiney, it has happened to me too. You WILL get it back. It's like an artist's or a writer when they just can create. You'll figure it out with or without our help. Sometimes it "just goes away". I had this royal icing problem last summer/fall and it just disappeared after many batches. Could be any reason but I bet it will vanish and very soon!

Hi Shiney - Oh, I have lost my cookie groove before and it really shook my confidence! I recently switched to a convection oven and it has taken a bit to get used to it, but I love it now. It is different though!

You'll get your groove back! You have to... I love your cookies!

Thanks Guys! Today I am posting one I actually like, but I took a stab at TracyLH's GetWell Cookie, Oh, my, how sad! I'll still put it in the bouquet, but it won't go on here! Instead, I will try, try again. You guys are the tops!!

O my!!! You got your groove back?!?!?! Good for you our Shiney Friend!! Have you got it figured out what was going on??
I was hoping to come here to see that things were better 4 U!!
If your posting ... Off to the gallerys I go!!

Gaye, I said I posted one. There are six in the bouquet. But, I will get my groove back, with the support and advice here in cookiedom, I'll Be Baaaack!

But it was a SUPER CUTE one! And yes you will get it back ... Kinda the ebb and flow .. the rise and fall .. the humpty and dumpty .. the pb & j .. Ok, I'll stop!
Just dont do like me and eat the ones that arnt perfect! - Thunder thighs, jelly belly, and bubble butt ... all from bad cookies! I HAD to get it together or I wasnt gonna fit in my kitchen anymore!! (Thanx Tracy!)

Good Luck Girl!

YeeeHaawwwww I done baked myself up a mess of purty cookies!! WooHoo
I took all y'all's tips, and Bob's your uncle!
I cut out after making dough instead of chilling it, did it with silpat and parchment on top, filled up several baking sheets and put in fridge while oven was preheating, and didn't have to cool off any sheets to reuse. They're coming out smooth and not spread'n
Thanks to all you lil' fillies and cowpokes, giv'n me a boost back on that thur horse.
Oh, and Tracy, I even rustled me up a heep of RI to let color darken, and TG to let bubbles settle! Y'all are learn'n me good!
Yeah, I know, I'm a goofus!