Everyone has their own preferences on how their cookie should be. Chewy or crispy? Living in New Zealand, one of our national treasures is the beloved Cookie Time cookie, and I’ve grown up microwaving such palm-sized creations for the perfect melted cookie.
I have also grown up knocking my teeth on Griffins chocolate chippie cookies. The kind where you clamp the cookie between your molars and angle it to snap off a bite.
Whatever your idea of a perfect cookie is, understanding the science can help you develop your go-to recipe.
Crispy cookies
Crispy cookies are actually easier to make. Soft cookies have a water concentration of 6% or higher – moisture being the variable in texture. To make cookies crispy, add less liquid or bake it in the oven for longer to dry out the dough.
Generally bake around 13-15min at 180C for a crispy cookie. But if you want a thoroughly crispy cookie – not those just charred on the outside – decrease the temperature to 140C and bake for 30min.
Chewy cookies
Sugar dissolved in baking forms a syrup as the dough heats up. Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key!
White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.
Why use melted butter?
Melted butter creates cookies with a different texture compared to cookies made with softened or creamed butter. When butter is melted, it coats the flour more evenly, resulting in cookies that are chewier and denser. This can be desirable for certain types of cookies, like chocolate chip cookies or brownie-like cookies.
Extra tip
Chilling your cookie dough before baking prevents the cookie from spreading and creating cookie disasters like below. If you don’t have time or the self-control to wait overnight, pop them in the freezer.
Put it to the test!
Try this matcha & white chocolate cookie recipe or this chewy cookie recipe to find your perfect mouthful of cookie.
Mochi cookies
These were a game-changer for me! It’s combining two of my loves – and all you need to make the mochi is a microwave. You can make them filled or unfilled depending on your tastes and preferences. You can create any flavour of mochi using freeze dried fruit powder.
This mochi cookie recipe is my OG. And if you’re a lover of biscoff, you can take it to the next level with the biscoff mochi cookies.
Beyond the chocolate chip cookie
If you’re looking for something beyond the classic chocolate chip, I loved developed the ube cookie. Thanks to the addition of ube halaya (ube jam) in the recipe, these cookies are perfectly fudgy and stay moist for days. In fact, the flavour develops and deepens, tasting even better after Day 1!
Even more wild is the potato chip cookie. Potato chips, dark chocolate and cookie seems like an unlikely trio, but if you lovebothsweet and savoury snacks – this is THE recipe for you. It’s like a platter party in your mouth.
FAQs
Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.
Does baking powder make cookies chewy? ›
Instead of adding more liquid to your dough (like sour cream or buttermilk), you can simply add a bit of baking powder. These cookies will turn out tender and chewy.
Does baking soda or baking powder make cookies crispy? ›
Baking soda is also present in baking powder, but in a smaller amount, so it has a lower pH level which results in less browning. Baking soda in cookies leads to more spread and a crispy edge compared to baking powder, as shown in the photos below.
Why are my cookies soft instead of crispy? ›
Q: Why are my cookies not crisp enough? They are underbaked. Lower your oven temperature and bake longer but at a lower temperature. Using too much flour or the wrong kind of flour.
What is the perfect texture for cookies? ›
The best cookies have layers of texture. A slightly crisp outer shell that holds up to some heat with an inner core that's soft and chewy. Premium cookies taste great at room temperature, straight out of the fridge or slightly heated.
What is the trick to making soft and chewy cookies? ›
Double Your Yolks Most cookie recipes call for at least one egg. You can try omitting the white of each egg, which tends to dry out when baked, and replacing it with an additional yolk. Plus, egg yolks have more fat than egg whites, which helps to keep your cookies moist and chewy.
What makes a cookie chewy and not cakey? ›
Use Melted Butter
If the goal is a chewy cookie, then you absolutely need to be using melted butter. The technique of creaming softened butter and sugar together is often used for making cakes. And for good reason!
Why do my cookies never turn out chewy? ›
Hard cookies: you are over mixing, baking too long, baking at too high a temperature, or some combination of these. Cakey cookies: not enough brown sugar, too much or too little egg, too much flour, maybe you used baking powder instead of baking soda?
What is the secret to a crunchy cookie? ›
A lower oven temperature will give your cookies more time to spread before they start to rise, resulting in a crispier cookie. I recommend baking your cookies for a bit longer at a lower temperature to achieve the texture you're looking for. You can also play around with the type of pan you're using.
What happens if I put baking powder instead of baking soda in cookies? ›
Baking powder: Baking powder can be used to replace baking soda, though not at a 1-to-1 ratio. Because the former is not as strong as the latter, it's important to use three times the amount of baking powder as baking soda. Be aware, a slightly bitter, off-putting taste might result from using that much baking powder.
The job of butter in baking (besides being delicious) is to give richness, tenderness and structure to cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. We alter the way butter works in a recipe by changing its temperature and choosing when to combine it with the other ingredients.
Are my cookies chewy or undercooked? ›
Texture: Touch the surface of the cookies gently. They are likely not fully cooked if they feel excessively soft or doughy. Properly baked cookies should have a slightly firm texture on the outside. Spread: Raw or undercooked cookies may spread excessively during baking and have a flatter shape than desired.
What does it mean when a cookie is chewy? ›
Well, the long and short answer to chewy cookies is it's all about the moisture content. Cookies that are dense and chewy incorporate more moisture into the batter. This can be achieved by making substitutions with wet and dry ingredients, or even just changing the way you incorporate certain ingredients.
Should cookies be hard or soft? ›
You can take a bite or break off a piece. Either way, when you taste it, you'll know for certain if it's done. A cookie that's fully done shouldn't be doughy, nor should it be overly crunchy (unless you're making a really crunchy type of cookie). It should be soft, crumbly, and perfect when freshly baked.
Why are my cookies hard and chewy? ›
Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.
