Who loves Costco, raise your hand?!!
I hope all of you are raising your hand because Costco is the greatest place ever (except for maybe Wal-Mart. Oh, all you people who are down on Wal-Mart because of whatever reason-poopoo). I mean, where else can you get imported fresh mozzerella, sushi (if you count California rolls), the best big-as-your-head chocolate muffins, Dino-buddies, 50 pounds of bananas for $1.79 (ok, maybe 5 pounds), and cookbooks at half price in the same place?!! Not to mention the $1 churros at the food court!
But, alas, sometimes a match made in heaven (Costco and me) can encounter some bumpy times.
Yes, dear readers and fellow Costco-lovers, Costco did me wrong. I know there are two sides to every story and perhaps Costco has some defense, but since this is my blog, I’m going to say it’s all Costco’s fault. Costco sells large amounts of butter at a reasonable price. Like 4 pounds of butter for around $7.50. The problem is, the butter comes in 2 pound blocks. Blocks with no useful measurements on the wrappers. For instance, it has 1/4 cup markings. Then it says, 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup. 8 tablespoons= 1/2 cup. Well, thanks. But with no tablespoon markings to be found, how am I supposed to get the 11 tablespoons required for these much-anticipated, Dorie-marked fave cookies (chosen by cookbook habit)? Ok, 11 is a little less than 3/4 c, I’ll just cut a little less than 3/4 c, right? Well, whoever cut the butter before me (ok, it MAY have been me) also cut a little less than the mark (or a little more depending on how you look at it) so counting a little less than 3 marks from where it was previously cut was not that clear-cut (hehe). So I cut it where I thought was about right and moved on.
I was wrong.
The dough was crumbly. So I put some more butter in, even though the dry ingredients were already in (oops, it says don’t overmix). Still crumbly. But the recipe says it will be crumbly. So I wrapped it up and chilled it. When I went to cut the dough into slices, I noticed in the recipe it said that the dough might fall apart a little; just press the pieces back together. Well, to make a long story short, my dough was so crumbly that I wasn’t even able to slice it and put the crumbs back on, I just smashed the dough together and put it on the pan.
It’s not a pretty sight. But the bright side is these cookies are so amazing, then might be my new favorites. Chocolately, buttery, with chocolate chunks. They weren’t even dry from my lack-of-measuring-butter skills. You might need to check out others’ pictures before you’re convinced that they’re good because mine look like doo-doo, but you MUST make these. Fantastic! 
P.S. Mine weren’t salty like Dorie described. Was anyone else’s?
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I’m glad you enjoyed them even though they crumbled! Maybe you could weigh your butter? There must be a conversion chart out there somewhere!
They look like little scoops of World Peace yuminess to me. I still have not baked mine. I tasted the dough and it did not taste salty. We will see tomorrow!I would just shove my butter in a measuring cup and level. I think that would work okay. Have a good day!
Pssst. My Costco sells butter in sticks. Go ask them to stock it! Glad the cookies tasted ok in the end!
You need a kitchen scale! 1 tbsp of butter = 14 grams. I was looking for block butter at my Costco and couldn’t find it. I’m glad you like the WP cookies. I thought they were out of this world good.
I’m glad they tasted good! What an ordeal, but I’m glad you made it through!
Costco here sells the butter in sticks…sorry that your Costco messed you up! I had the same disaster with the Linzer Sables in December….I had to beat this dough until it formed a ball (almost) and then was able to form a log. Try that next time, it will work!:) Glad you liked them in the end, though!
Shopping for butter at Costco absolutely requires you buying a scale to weigh your butter – otherwise you will drive yourself mad!
If that happens again, then you could always weigh your butter.
I’ll join the choir: a digital kitchen scale would be your new best friend in the kitchen. 1T = 1/2 oz. And my hand’s up for Costco but down for WalMart!Nancy
Costco did you wrong! But I will join in the “scale” parade — I use mine daily since I got it. But hey, it sounds like it all worked out in the end in the flavor department!!
They do not look bad at all! I also had to squish some of mine back together before baking. Looks like they were delicious anyway. Whoever heard of not putting measure marks on butter? geez!
Would you believe we have no Costco here? Sad, but true.Your cookies turned out just great! Well done!
I love Costco too! Your cookies look great!
Ah, I’ve had that problem. A scale does wonders to solve it (8 tbsp ~ 4 oz). I’m glad you loved them despite the aesthetics. To me, though, they look fabulous. š
Oh no…but it seems like it all worked out in the end…I wish I had a Costco close enough to do me wrong now and then! I can’t believe they don’t mark their butter blocks…
You had me at Costco and the $1 churros. Love those things!
We don’t have a Costco, we have a BJ’s. I have been meaning to check out the butter there, as I’ve heard it’s cheaper. I will have to pay close attention. That would really throw me! I’m glad the cookies were good, no matter how they looked. Good luck making them again!
I love shopping at Costco too! I’m a little OCD when it comes to my butter. I remove it from its wrapper and slice it into 4 sticks and wrap each stick in plastic wrap. I’ve found that the odd 1/8 or 1/4 ounce difference if I’m off on cutting doesn’t make a difference in my baking. (Sometimes I’ll use a digital scale if I think the recipe needs to be accurate.) My cookie dough was crumbly too, but once baked they were fine and tasted oh so good!
I was going to suggest a scale, but other people beat me to it. But I added a bit of extra butter to mine, and it just made them better!
It doesn’t matter what they look like if you liked them! I think you’re being too hard on yourself.. they aren’t so bad.. they DO look delicious which is what counts! I bet that extra butter gave them a better taste.
Bought block butter at Sams and divided into 1/4 lb sticks. Some ARE a little bigger/smaller than others, but chose enuff, and cheaper than W-M (SSSHHHH!!!! i didn’t say that. Crumbly or not, these were good cookies.
I think they still look good! And I am so glad that you loved them so much, even after all of the butter drama!
I don’t have a Costco near me, but I have only heard good things about them. I hate Walmart. I’m a Target girl. Love the cookies!
the salt came through more on day two for me. i really tasted it more then. i don’t go to costco, but i can’t stay out of walmart.
Oh, poor innocent Costco! Come visit my store, they sell the butter divided into 4-oz bars like the regular supermarket. (Although they’re bundled in 4 lb packs…) And anyway, who cares about looks when they taste so amazing?!
What am ordeal š Though, Im glad they tasted great in the end! Alisa@Foodista