IF MAKING IM SUMMER, CHILL DOUGH AND/OR READ THESE NOTES. You're not crazy—yes, the weather can absolutely affect your cookies, but it's also possible something small changed in your process without realizing it. Let’s break it down: --- 🌀 Weather/Environmental Factors 1. Humidity (summer vs. winter): In winter (often drier), your flour absorbs less moisture, keeping the dough stiffer. In humid summer weather, flour absorbs moisture from the air, making dough softer and cookies more likely to spread. If you didn’t adjust for that, your cookies could go flat. 2. Temperature: Room temperature butter in summer may be too soft if your kitchen is warm, even if you think it’s “room temp.” Warmer dough spreads faster before the cookies can set in the oven. --- 👩‍🍳 Recipe/Technique Missteps Even if the ingredients were the same, little differences in how you prepared them can change the outcome: Butter too soft or melted? = flatter cookies Overmixing the dough? = breaks down structure, leading to spread Not chilling the dough? = warm dough spreads more Baking sheet warm from previous batch? = instant spread Old leavening (baking soda/powder)? = less lift --- ✅ What to Try Next Time Chill the dough for 30–60 minutes before baking. Check your butter temp—soft but not greasy/melty. Add 1–2 tablespoons of flour if it’s humid out. Bake a test cookie first to see how it spreads—adjust from there. --- If they were perfect in December and you did everything “the same,” it’s very likely that temperature or humidity is the culprit. You didn’t mess up—you just ran into summer baking. 💁‍♀️🍪

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melter
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract + splash
1 cup dark chocolate chips

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter, melter 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract + splash 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract. The mixture will be thin. Pour into dry ingredients and mix together with a hand mixer.

Fold in the chocolate chips. The chocolate chips may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to combine them.

Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Using a cookie scoop, Roll into a ball, place 3 inches apart

Bake the cookies for 12–13 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.

The centers will look very soft, but the cookies will continue to set as they cool.