All this science is hurting my head!

In addition to all of your other tricks, undercook your cookies a bit.

You are correct about the eggs. Adding an extra egg yolk may do the trick for you.

You say you're looking to make a "moist and tender" cookie. Sounds like you want a cake-y sort of cookie as opposed to a crispy or chewy cookie, yes? If that's the case, also consider monkeying with the type and amount of flour you use. Using yogurt or sour cream for some of your fat/liquid will also help.

Think about it this way: Moisture adds moisture (includng eggs), but there has to be a proper balance of moisture to eggs to dry to fat. Eggs do add moisture, but they also work as a binder when heated, and too much egg will make your ccokies less tender.

Too much moisture, and your cookie will lose the body that you're after.

Butter tends to yeild a crisper cookie, while other fats will soften it. However, if your cookies aren't browned, the butter will soften withot crisping the cookie.

Sugar is a softener until it caramelizes, which is why Bluicus suggests underbaking a bit.

Liquid sweeteners (like honey), will soften your dough better than dry sugar.

Also remember that cake flour contains less gluten (protein), and therefore will yeild a softer cookie. Only mix your dough until the ingerdients come together, so as not to develop the gluten, which will toughen your cookies.

Austin,

Look here:

How to Get the Texture You Want in Your Cookies

I heard using intert sugars like honey or corn syrup will help make a chewy cookie. Sub say 1/3 of your sugar with corn syrup.

Be careful with adding more fat to your cookie batter though, it'll spread out too much in the baking process and you'll end up with flat cookies.

Also use Amonium Bicorbonate instead of baking powder or soda as your rising agent. Its far more potent so a little goes a long way, a few grams compared to 2 tsp.

Headless, it's INVERT sugar. :lol:
yes, it will yeild you a softer product. there are brands of invert sugars but they come in 5 gal tubs. for that matter what about liquid shortening? hmmmmm.

keep in balance, keep it fluffy, keep baking!
:bounce:

Austin,
There is lots of good information here. Watch references though, I read through the items written by Ursula Dalzell. I was not agreeing with some of the things said. I usually make it a point to check references when this happens. I googled her and really could not come up with anything. I may have spelled it wrong. Read all your responses to questions and act as a filter. save the things that look interesting and discard the rest.
Most help will come from the trenches. It's kind of like the medical industry, you may have the doctor that wrote the protocal and proceedure on a treatment and ask questions like, side effects, allergic reactions, etc. He or she may say, oh you'll be fine". The nurses in the trenches who are actually administering might tell you something completely different.
Anyway, for me, I think cookies are just as critical than cakes to get constancy. Consistancy is the key to a good cookie. If it doesn't taste and look the same each and every time, it's worethless. I just judged the annual channel 8/Morning News cookie contest here in Dallas. Hundred of contestants, it was held at our locak Central Market. I found that there is a big difference in soft/chewy cookies and cookies that are underbaked.
I have found that over the past 50 yrs. :lol: the mixing method and proceedure of superior cookies is {wet to dry}. Meaning that you're creaming and blending, liquids are next, and then the dry ingredients go in.
Most cakes are the opposite, creaming, dry ingredients and then the liquid. {Dry to wet}.
A journal is very important in developing cookies. You really need to note everything. Times, temps, weather, ambient temp, etc. So you see, it's not as easy as emailing a good recipe. Finding ingredients the will keep moisture in as well as attract moistue after baking is the key. Ingredients are not always specific products to the bakery. There are also fruits and vegetable etc.
Good luck
pan

Dang speed typing is leaving my fingers for knive skills.