When I was kid, I always loved stealing a scoop of cookie dough when we were making cookies. I think I may have even preferred the cookie dough to the actual cookies (if it wasn’t for the contrast between warm cookies and cold milk). Later in life, I had less experiences with cookie dough. Some that come to mind include the movie theatre candy version of cookie dough and making edible cookie dough for myself if I was craving it. But in both versions, I felt like something was missing. Something different from the taste I knew and loved when I was younger. So, I started comparing the ingredients between edible cookie dough recipes and actual cookie dough recipes to try to find the missing ingredient. I found that there were 3 major differences between the two.

First, we will be using heat-treated flour. Admittedly, in my early days of baking I didn’t know that flour wasn’t safe until it was cooked. It is shipped as a raw ingredient with the assumption that it will be used cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit before consumption.1 Luckily, this step doesn’t take very long. In a 350-degree oven, flour that is spread out on a baking sheet will be at a safe temperature in just 5-7 minutes. These temperatures can cause the flour to form clumps, so sifting your heat-treated flour is essential. You can also purchase flour that is already heat-treated and sifted in select grocery stores. In terms of cookie dough taste, heat-treating the flour should not majorly impact the taste of the flour (if anything it should be improved, see reference 1), so I don’t believe this is where the missing flavor comes from.

Second, we have a more obvious omission: the egg. This omission makes sense: According to the FDA, eggs should be cooked to at least 160 F to eat, unless the eggs have been pasteurized.2 Pasteurized eggs are available at most grocery stores either in shells, or perhaps more commonly, in liquid form. If you find yourself thinking edible cookie dough is missing a texture compared to its real counterpart, you may be interested in adding a pasteurized, safe-to-eat egg product to your recipe. However, I don’t believe eggs contribute a strong flavor to a cookie dough, since cookie dough is so rich and sweet. Perhaps this could be an experiment that is investigated in the future, but the goal for today is focused on another commonly omitted ingredient in edible cookie dough: baking soda.

Many cookie recipes contain baking soda, but many cookie dough recipes do not. I believe that baking soda adds a subtle flavor that alters the flavor of cookie dough for the better. I have tested this out myself in the past, but I never tracked exactly how much I was using. I had a feeling it added that “missing piece” I was looking for, but I was never certain since I never compared it side-by-side with a version that omitted it. Until today.

The Hypothesis:
Edible cookie dough taste strongly depends on pH (i.e. acidity), and there is an ideal pH (controlled with the addition of baking soda) where cookie dough tastes the best. In this experiment, we tested four different cookie dough variations with varying levels of pH, controlled by either adding baking soda (a basic ingredient), nothing, or cream of tartar (an acidic ingredient). All four samples were prepared as followed, using 1/4 of a base cookie dough recipe from Cooking Classy™:3

1/4 cup flour, heat-treated
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/16 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp milk
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips


To ensure all cookie dough samples were identical I made a scaled-up version of this recipe and divided it evenly (by mass) into four separate containers. I then added a varying amount of baking soda or cream of tartar to adjust the pH of the dough:

Sample 1: 1/8 tsp. baking soda
Sample 2: 1/16 tsp. baking soda
Sample 3: control (nothing was added)
Sample 4: 1/16 tsp. cream of tartar

The Results:
These were organized in such a way that they gradually go from the most basic (sample 1) to most acidic (sample 4). Then, the taste test began. The tasting notes that were agreed upon were as follows:

Sample 1: “Good but a little overwhelming.”
Sample 2: “Best one, most balanced.”
Sample 3: “Flat, missing something.”
Sample 4: “Good but had an unusual aftertaste.”
We both agreed that the small amount of baking soda added to Sample 2 created the most enjoyable flavor and was most similar to the real deal. This lines up with my hypothesis that a little baking soda adds a beneficial flavor of cookie dough. Interestingly, only a very small amount was needed, beyond that and the taste started to interfere with the cookie dough itself. It was also noted that all baking soda samples had a reduced sweetness. I believe this is because making soda, like salt, adds sodium to the recipe, which subdues the sweetness. Our final recipe below reduces the amount of salt to compensate for this.

Long story short, a small pinch of baking soda can elevate your edible cookie dough to remind you more of the real deal. I am nearly certain that it adds an unmistakable flavor that cannot be omitted without affecting the flavor of your cookie dough. I encourage you to try out this experiment yourself and sharing your results with us. You can do so by sharing your favorite with the hashtag #CWCcookiedough.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour, heat treated
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1-2 Tbsp milk, as needed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat-treat flour by spreading it on a cookie sheet, bake at 350 F for 7-9 minutes or until temperature reaches 160 F. Allow to cool completely.
Combine softened butter and sugars, thoroughly combine until uniform and creamy in appearance.
Add the salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, and 1 Tbsp of milk. Stir until combined.
If possible, sift the heat-treated flour to remove any clumps that formed while baking.
Add the flour and stir until combined.
Finally, add the chocolate chips, stir, and enjoy!
(optional) Add up to 1 Tbsp. of milk to adjust the consistency as desired.
References:

https://honeyville.com/blog/how-make-raw-flour-safe-eat
https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-egg-safety
https://www.cookingclassy.com/edible-cookie-dough/