Baking Science : Chewy or Crispy Cookies? - Ultimate Omnoms (2024)

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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Baking Science : Chewy or Crispy Cookies? - Ultimate Omnoms (2024)

FAQs

Are cookies supposed to be chewy or crunchy? ›

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.

How do you keep cookies crisp and chewy? ›

How do you store cookies to stay crisp? To keep crispy cookies crisp, you need to keep them away from moisture. Always store different types of cookies separately—soft cookies can cause crispy cookies to soften due to their extra moisture. Place crispy cookies in an airtight container, but don't completely seal it.

Is baking cookies endothermic or exothermic? ›

Are the Reactions Endothermic or Exothermic? Baking cookies is endothermic, because the baking is using heat to break down the bonds.

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 secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

For soft cookies, use: Brown sugar, as it has a high moisture content and retains moisture better than white sugar. Also, when combined with eggs, brown sugar can prevent spreading (taller cookies tend to be softer and fluffier). Shortening instead of butter or in addition to butter.

What are three factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

Salted butter, softened – I prefer salted butter but you can also use unsalted and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough. Brown sugar – Just brown sugar because we will get the 'granulated sugar' flavor from the corn syrup. Corn syrup – The corn syrup is what makes these cookies CHEWY FOR DAYS.

What makes a cookie extra chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

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 best flour for chewy cookies? ›

Bread Flour: For Chewy Texture

Bread flour contains a higher protein content (around 12-14%), leading to more gluten development. This makes it ideal for bakers seeking a chewier texture in their cookies. The extra gluten can help retain gas and moisture, producing a denser and chewier result.

What does adding egg yolk to cookies do? ›

A cookie made with extra egg yolk (or, in this case, only egg yolk), will be lighter and chewier than a cookie made with whole eggs. The cookies will also have a richer flavor thanks to the added fat in egg yolk.

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 makes cookies chewy vs. crunchy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Does baking soda make cookies more chewy? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

How do you increase crispness in cookies? ›

Using more white sugar in your cookies will result in a crispier end product. To achieve a crispy cookie, skip the rest in the fridge. Baking your cookies right after making the dough will encourage them to spread in the oven, resulting in an extra-crispy cookie.

What factors which allows cookies to be crispy soft and chewy? ›

Butter contributes milk solids and water to a cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar contributes molasses – again, a softener. Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies.

How to make cookies chewy after baking? ›

The best way to soften up those hard cookies is something you probably already have in your kitchen… bread! That's right, a piece of fresh bread will make those tough treats soft and chewy.

What is the science behind baking cookies? ›

As the butter melts, the cookie's structure loosens, so that the water in the dough is able to combine with the baking soda, dissolving it. The baking soda then reacts to the acidic components present in brown sugar, creating gases that cause the cookie to rise.

Is baking cookies convection or conduction? ›

In conclusion, both convection and conventional ovens can be great for baking cookies, depending on the type of cookie you're making and your personal preferences. Convection ovens are great for thin and crispy cookies, while conventional ovens are better for thicker and chewier cookies.

When you bake cookies, is it a physical or chemical change? ›

Baking cookies is a chemical change. This is because new substances are formed during the process, such as carbon dioxide gas from the reaction of baking soda or powder with other ingredients. The process is irreversible under normal conditions, which is a key characteristic of chemical changes.

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.

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