several things including: being a binding agent for ingredients, adding moisture during the baking process and maintaining a creamy smooth and flavorful mouth feel in the final product.
The product collapse
It depends on the recipe. Shortening becomes solid at room temperature while vegetable oil does not. So vegetable oil may be substituted for melted shortening only in recipes that do not depend on shortening becoming solid for texture when cooled.
Oil, of any kind. Cooled melted butter could be used in a lot of the recipes calling for liquid shortening.
I normally replace with half shortening and half butter. It works fine.
All Recipes is a website that is what it says. Martha Stewart's website also has cookie recipes. Very Best Baking has Tollhouse Cookie recipes. Also check with Food Network.
You can visit http://www.momswhothink.com/cookie-recipes/oatmeal-cookie-recipe.html for oatmeat cookie recipes. You can also visit http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/soft-oatmeal-cookies/detail.aspx for additional recipes.
BUTTER
Yes, cookie recipes can be pattened.
There are several companies/websites that offer simple cookie recipes for children, including Keebler's website, the Martha Stewart website, the Betty rocker website. General websites also offer children's cookie recipes if you simple search for children's cookie recipes.
fat!!!!
The butter will melt, but having a creamed texture while mixing allows the cookie to have a fluffier texture than if it was made with melted butter. Melted butter would make a very soft, dense cookie.
There are many websites online that offer good cookie recipes. You can try looking at Girl Scout Cookies, All About Cookies, Cookie Mania and All Recipes for some good ideas.
The best place to find easy-level cookie recipes is the website "Easy Cookies Recipes". This site will provide you many kinds of cookie recipes, for instance: chocolate cookies, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies and more.