Until 8 p.m. includes Twin Cities area

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

You like soft and chewy. He likes thin and crispy. If only there were a way to bake chocolate chip cookies to please everyone.

There is! And, no, it's not Martha Stewart's way. It's science.


We've taken our cues from a few spots: a bioengineering grad student named Kendra Nyberg, who co-taught a class at the University of California, Los Angeles called Science and Food, and chef and cookbook author 

, who writes about cookie science on her site, 

 on cookie science. And if you really want to go nuts (or no nuts, your call), Serious Eats offers 

 for the "Perfect Cookie," including kneading times and chocolate prep techniques.


"Even though I can describe what I like," says Nyberg, "I didn't know the role of each ingredient in the texture and shape of cookies." So she looked into it — as only a scientist can.


Here, relying on the experts' help and the classic Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie 

 Set the oven higher than 350 degrees Fahrenheit (maybe 360). Caramelization, which gives cookies their nice brown tops, occurs above 356 degrees, says the TEDEd video.

 Use 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

 Substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour.

 Trade the butter for shortening. Arias notes that this ups the texture but reduces some flavor; her suggestion is to use half butter and half shortening.

Freeze the batter for 30 to 60 minutes before baking. This solidifies the butter, which will spread less while baking.


 Use more baking soda because, according to Nyberg, it "releases carbon dioxide when heated, which makes cookies puff up."

 Use 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (instead of the same amount of combined granulated sugar and light brown sugar).

 If looks count, add one ounce corn syrup and one ounce granulated sugar.


 Chilling the dough for at least 24 hours before baking deepens all the flavors, Arias found.


You can follow Anne Miller @annemillermedia.

Lifestyle

Anne Miller

Author

Whatever your pleasure -- crispy, soft, gooey or nicely tanned -- it's easy to customize the classic Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie. Just follow these expert tips.

The science behind baking your ideal chocolate chip cookie

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox