Should You Age Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?
Aged chocolate chip cookies…?
What is this, cheese or something???
For months now, I’ve heard over and over again that aging chocolate chip cookie dough before baking makes a big difference in the resulting cookie.
My first judgement was that this was a gimmick.
I mean, how on earth was I even supposed to find out if it wasn’t?
I can’t leave chocolate chip cookie dough in the fridge for 3 days.
It’s too tempting. Me want cookie.
Me want cookie now.
Not in 3 days.
But the time came when I finally had to test this out for myself.
This all started when I came across an article David Leite published in the New York Times in 2008.
Read the article for the nitty gritty details, but in a nutshell, chilling the dough in the fridge for a few days allows the dry ingredients to fully soak up the wet ingredients, which results in a better texture when you bake the cookie, and not to mention, better flavor.
So what’s my conclusion?
I went into this as a complete skeptic.
Mainly because like I said, I don’t want there to be a reason to wait 36 hours for cookies.
But I have to say, I think they are a little bit better.
And in hindsight, I shouldn’t be surprised.
I put pasta salad in the fridge to let the flavors meld, and I let yeasted bread doughs age in the fridge to develop a good texture and good flavor.
Is it worth the wait overall? If I have a major cookie craving, maybe not, but if I can plan ahead, it seems like a good idea.
I really didn’t make many changes from the recipe on Leite’s Culinaria, but will say that baking time makes a big difference in the resulting cookie.
This is what the 15 minute cookie looked like (the one my husband prefers) :
And this is what the 20 minute cookie looked like (the one I prefer):
Big difference, you see?
The “underbaked” 15 minute cookie doesn’t allow enough time to set the full texture of the cookie, resulting in a flatter but chewier, denser, and softer cookie.
The 20 minute cookie baked for long enough to set the texture of the cookie and is about twice as thick as the 15 minute cookie. It’s more crumbly, with a crisp exterior but a soft interior, and is much thicker.
The choice is yours! Have fun baking your cookies and share your thoughts with us in the comments section. How do you like your chocolate chip cookies baked? Do you age the dough?
62 Comments on “Should You Age Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?”
It’s so funny, cause I actually learned this on my own, completely by accident! A few years ago, my friends and I were having a cookie baking party (yes, we’re nerds haha), and I was trying to get some prep work done a few days ahead so we wouldn’t all be tripping over each other in the kitchen. Well I made my chocolate chip cookie dough about 2 days before the party because I figured it wouldn’t hurt to chill the dough in the fridge longer than an hour. And when I baked up the cookies, everyone was all “These are the best cookies EVER! The texture is so great! What did you do?” And I’m wracking my brain…and then it dawned on me…I chilled the dough longer! Cookie success.
HAHA yes, it’s astounding to watch the texture change! The dough starts to dry a bit after the liquid distributes itself more throughout the dough and the flour absorbs the eggs and all that. Thanks for sharing your story, so funny!
I have to side with your husband on this one: I love the gooey, “underbaked” cookie much more than the crispy version. In fact, if I baked the above, I would have pried that gooey thing right off the cookie sheet and devoured it before anyone in the house was any the wiser!
Very interesting about aging cookie dough . . . it does make sense, when you think about it, but I don’t know if I’m patient enough to try it! That requires planning I’m not terribly good about. But who knows!
See, I’m all for better, tastier, more flavorful cookies. But my lack of patience makes this a horrible (and horribly) long process. Sigh. I’m going to have to suck it up and try it, I suppose. I think I’d prefer the 20 minute baked cookies too … crispy outside, soft inside is my kind of cookie.
Interesting, I think I will try to age some cookie dough next weekend.
How very interesting! I will have to store mine in the extra fridge for the 3 days! My hubby and kids would eat it all if they found it!!
Haha, I know it’s tough! I ended up eating some of the dough anyway, but it’s such a big batch so it’s okay =)
I can honestly say I’ve never pondered this question before. Maybe the best approach is to make two batches. One for now, one for three days from now.
Hummm, never thought about the flavors developing. The only time I refrigerate cookie dough is if the recipe calls for it. I could never wait 3 days to eat a cookie knowing the dough is right there in the fridge. I have a hard enough time just waiting for the butter to soften! I do freeze cookie dough, just so anytime we want hot out of the oven cookies, I can pop some in but I always let the dough thaw completely before baking. Might have to do some experimenting and taste testing on this. Oh the sacrifices we make to create the best cookies!
I have never aged my cookie dough…I might try it. I do not like brown cookies but I can see baking them longer so they are baked. What about baking them longer but maybe at 325 degrees rather than 350?
Lately , I’ve been chilling my cookie dough for several hours before baking . It really made some difference ! Not for 3 days though , who could wait that long to bake cookies anyway ?! lol Cold cookie dough won’t spread too much and much more thicker and cakier , well , if you like that kind . If you love thin and crisp just bake it right away !
I love this post. It does make such a difference in the cookie. But then it’s so hard to wait 3 days to make them. I’d worry I’d eat all the dough by the time the 3 days were up. I think the only solution is to make a new batch every single day so you never run out. Your cookies look incredible and make me want to hop on a plane for one.
I used to work at a bakery that did cookie deliveries (you know, like pizza but with cookies!). We would make up our cookie dough, shape it into balls and then place them in the freezer in large containers. I don’t know exactly how long we let the cookies freeze, but it wasn’t longer than a week. I remember that our cookies were thicker and more cake-like, but I thought that was based off the recipe and ingredients we used (which weren’t the best considering the owner tried to skim however she could). I could see how the freezing had something to do with it. I’ll definitely try this, but I don’t think my family will wait that long for cookies!!!
Hi Kristina, Wow, that’s an awesome bakery! haha. Yeah, there are so many variables, it’s just insane. Even when you bake a cookie that’s really cold vs. a cookie dough that is at room temperature, it makes such a big difference. There are thousands of ways a chocolate chip cookie can turn out!
I tend to age my cookies just because I forget about it. I did have a strange occurance happened at my house when my husband was eating a cookie I made a couple of days ago and he was saying it tasted bettee then when it first came out of the oven.
Joy, isn’t that funny? A cookie hot from the oven will definitely be different the next day. It’s fascinating how different timings can really change the baked good!
Another great option with CHOC CHIPPERS is to “brown” the butter and let it cool for a few when making the dough; then do the rest routine. Browning the butter brings out the flavor and everyone RAVES about the cookies and can’t quite pick up what is different about them.
Mary, thanks for sharing your tip with us. Brown butter is fantastic stuff. I bet brown butter chocolate chip cookies are absolutely delicious, it’s on the to-do list!
I read that article in the NY times in 2008 and was amazed at the difference in taste and texture it made for my cookies. The hardest part is remembering to make the dough 36 hours before you want the cookies and not eating all the cookie dough one bite at a time in the meantime. (I once gained 5 pounds as a result.). If your self-discipline is strong, this is the way to make cookies.
Candace, I love your comment, thanks for sharing your thoughts and personal experience! HAHA I’m the same way, I love cookie dough…can’t resist the stuff!!!
I do always try to chill my dough, but I’d never known you should “age” it. I guess that’s where my laziness pays off when I don’t get around to baking it for a couple of days. 🙂
Hey Dawn! hahaha, laziness does have its benefits then, I suppose! For me, I feel like I can never wait…usually only half of each batch of cookies I make makes it into the oven. I’m a sucker for refrigerated cookie dough!
I heard in some place to have the dough for next day in the fridge, of course I never tried. I just put the entire dough for 1 hour just to be more easy to make the dough balls. I also freeze so I can bake cookies often without making the dough again.
So, looking at yout results, I will fridge before baking, just wondering the procedure when you have to bake freezing ones, maybe we have to trasfer to the fridge first for a couple of day…!!!
Hi Nydia, Yeah, freezing is a nice option too! I like doing that as well, then I find I don’t eat the cookie dough as much LOL.