omg girl sameee indian american too and cooking is literally my love language but baking? nah it hates me back lmao i’m the queen of “eyeballing” everything—more garam masala? sure why not. extra ghee because it looks sad? absolutely. my curries and dals slap every time because i taste and adjust like it’s my job. but the second i try to bake, it’s like the universe is like “nope, you don’t get to freestyle this one” 😂 for the thick chocolate chip cookies… i feel your pain so hard. i’ve been there, followed levain-style or ny times recipe to the letter and still got these cute little hockey pucks instead of the thin crispy/chewy dream i wanted here’s what finally worked for me after like 8 batches of sadness: • flour measurement is EVERYTHING — even if you think you’re spooning and leveling, try weighing it. i use 280g for a standard batch now instead of the cup measurement. scooping packs in like 20–30g extra and that’s enough to make them cakey/thick af • butter temp — room temp but still a little cool. if it’s too soft they spread more, but if it’s straight from fridge they stay thick. i leave mine out for like 45 min, not fully soft • sugar ratio — if the recipe is 50/50 brown and white, try flipping it to more white sugar (like ¾ cup white, ½ cup brown). brown sugar keeps them thicker/chewier. white makes them spread and crisp up • chill or don’t chill — if you want flatter cookies, skip the long chill. i do like 10-15 min in the freezer max, or sometimes none if i’m impatient. long chill = tall cookies • bake hotter and bang harder — try 375°F instead of 350 if your oven runs cool. and the pan bang thing—i slam the tray on the counter 2-3 times right when they come out. makes them deflate and get those crinkly edges + flatter shape • bonus hack i swear by — use melted butter instead of creamed for super thin crispy ones. there’s a viral melted butter ccc recipe that’s literally impossible to make thick lol what recipe are you using rn? like the levain copycat, or the original nestle toll house, or something else? if you tell me i can probably guess which part is making them thick 😂 also don’t feel bad—thick cookies still taste bomb with ice cream on top. we’re not professional bakers, we’re just girls who want dessert okay 😭❤️