60+ Cookie Dough Recipes! (2024)

FAQs

Why does aging cookie dough make it taste better? ›

Why? It's because the fat remains solid long enough for the structure of the cookie to set. Aging also gives the flour a chance to rehydrate itself, which yields a chewier cookie once baked. While being cooled, sugars in its doughy mixture absorb more liquid, which leads to a deeper golden brown crust.

The moisture contributed by the milk will also increase spread and hydrate more of the starches in the flour. These hydrated (gelatinized) starches support the structure of the air pocket wall, keeping the cookies from collapsing once cooled. By holding more water, they also help keep the cookies softer over time.

After 72 hours, the dough will begin to dry out and you risk it going bad, especially if chilling pre-portioned balls of dough instead of the entire mass of dough. If you want to store longer than 72 hours, see the freezing tips below.

One mistake that is often made when baking cookies is using too much butter when softening it. This can cause the cookies to spread too much and become thin and crispy. Another mistake that is sometimes made is not using enough butter, which can cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly.

Cool down your dough for a tastier, chewier cookie.

As little as 30 minutes in your fridge or freezer can help your cookie brown better, spread less, and develop a richer chewy texture. There's a few reasons why, but one important part is it gives the butter in your dough a chance to firm up before baking.

Since most cookies are made with softened butter, which is then creamed with the sugar to act as the foundation, it's best to chill the dough after mixing to allow that butter to cool off. “Cookies made from chilled dough expand more slowly as they bake,” Hill says.

But the truth is, the primary reason bakers chill their dough is to prevent cookies from spreading too much. Chilling firms up the fat (usually butter) in the dough, ensuring that the dough doesn't spread too quickly in the oven.

Its light and refreshing flavor brings out the sweetness of any dessert without overpowering it. And its texture still adds an element of creaminess without being too heavy. So if you want to indulge but don't want to overdo it, skim milk is your best bet - great for those late-night cookie cravings!

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

Is it better to mix cookie dough by hand or mixer? ›

Cookie dough can be mixed by hand or with an electric mixer. Take butter or margarine from refrigerator 10-15 minutes before using or cut into 1-inch pieces so it will blend more easily and evenly with other ingredients.

But the one technique that pops up over and over again is ripening the cookie dough — aka letting it rest in the fridge for anywhere between 30 minutes to 72 hours before baking it.

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

To stay on the safe side, it is probably not highly recommended that you eat expired cookie dough, however you can eat it up to 1 or 2 months past it's best by date, if you ensure that you have stored it properly.

Raw Dough Can Contain Germs That Make You Sick

coli) and Salmonella. These harmful germs can contaminate grain while it's still in the field or flour while it's being made. Steps like grinding grain and bleaching flour don't kill harmful germs—and these germs can end up in flour or baking mixes you buy at the store.

You may notice visible pockets of flour, streaks of butter, or uneven coloration. When overmixed, though, cookie dough will feel dense, greasy, heavy, and warm. It may be tough to roll out or work with, just like overmixed pie dough.