Three things happen during baking that change the flavor of a cookie.
Maillard reaction, caramelization, and the melting of fats. There are more, but those are the three we’re going to talk about.
The maillard reaction takes raw flour and turns it brown. It absorbs some of the sugar in the process, and creates a more complex, nutty flavor. Caramelization also browns some of the sugar, giving it a smoky, bitter flavor. They also give the cookie a firm or crispy texture.
You also melt any fats, like butter, that are in the dough. Melted butter separates and spreads throughout the cookie.
There’s also often an egg that helps build structure for the baked dough, and sometimes baking soda for fluffiness.
This means uncooked dough is sweeter than a baked cookie. It has a soft, dense, and moist texture that disappears when fully baked. It’s butter and sugar held together with flour and egg, and it’s delicious.
Same reason people love raw cookie dough. They just like the taste.
It’s a ridiculous business model.
Based on what measure?
I mean, it clearly works if a lot of businesses do it.
We’ve been baking some cakes and cookies like that in the Netherlands for decades.
Millions of dollars in yearly profit by the food industry that makes and sell raw cookie flavors disagree with your business acumen.
I don’t think it’s the raw part that’s the trend so much as big cookies are, and big cookies tend to be less cooked in the center.
But then again, raw cookie dough is delicious. 🤤
Salmonella brings people together.
You can get eggs from Salmonella vaccinated chickens, it’s just not the norm in north America.
It’s in the flour not the eggs. Eating raw flour is riskier than eating raw eggs.
Yep. Specifically it’s because the flour is not generally sanitized/processed in any way that removes bacteria from the grain or the finished product.
Flour is traditionally only used as an ingredient and will through the cooking process experience heat high enough to kill any bacteria.
If you want to make safe cookie dough to eat raw at home just spread the flour on a sheet tray and toast it in the oven at ~200 degrees for something like 10 minutes. There’s specific directions online.
TIL
Yup the flour is very likely to contain e coli. The eggs are still a risk with salmonella but the e coli is a much greater and more potent risk
The raw dough makes me slightly uncomfortable, so I’m entirely certain that I should violently impose my preferences on everyone who does not agree.
/s
This is how I’ve loved cookies for my entire life. I’m just happy they are easier to find now.
you can buy raw cookie dough thats meant to be eaten uncooked. and not some niche thing, its at all the big box grocery stores. its no stretch to imagine why a half-baked cookie might be a thing
Because I will eat fistfuls of raw cookie dough. Raw eggs are safe where I’m at anyways.
I think it’s more the risk from the raw flour than eggs.
It’s both in the US, uncooked eggs can give salmonella. But most places that have “edible cookie dough” use non-raw flour and no eggs so you can actually eat the dough raw safely.
It’s the flour.
You can make safe edible cookie dough pretty easily . The eggs aren’t the only issue, it’s the flour itself. If you bake it at like 275F for 30 mins in a sheet pan it’ll sterilize it. For edible cookie dough that won’t be baked you don’t even need eggs.
Having said that, I too have eaten my share of regular cookie dough.
Had no idea raw flour wasn’t safe. The store bought safe cookie dough always tastes like cardboard to me
This is a trend? Then why all of the sudden can’t I find any cookies in my local grocery stores that aren’t hard as tits? This has been my cookie preference for my whole life!!
These look like Crumbl cookies which are sold in their own stores for ridiculous prices. One cookie can legitimately feed 4 people since they’re so rich (and delicious)
my man if the tits you’ve been running into are hard, there’s something wrong
Mmmmmm… Borderline raw cookies.
I’ve never heard of such chicanery I’m my life
Warm and soft cookies are the best cookies
That looks so tasty
Terrible except when peanut butter.
One thing to consider is that delivery and takeout are significantly more popular than they were 4 years ago. Some of these chains either anticipate or encourage you to heat your cookies just before you eat them and halfway cooking them gives the best results. A place just down the road from me encourages 1 minute on high in the air fryer or 3 in a toaster oven before eating
