What Makes Chewy Cookies? My Favorite Tips for the Best Cookies!
When it comes to cookies, some prefer crispy edges, while others (like me) love a soft chewy cookie. If you’ve ever baked, or want to start and are wondering “what makes chewy cookies?”, then you’re in the right place! I’m going to share a few of my favorite tips that I’ve learned over the years to make that perfectly soft cookie you’re craving.
Tip 1: BUTTER! Butter might not be your friend when you’re cooking, but it’s gotta be your friend when you bake. It’s very important not to replace this with margarine or shortening, because the butter helps to add a nice flavor while spreading the dough evenly. Room temperature butter creates a lighter, airier cookie while melting your butter will help the cookies to be more dense and chewy.
Try it out: Next time you bake a batch of cookies, split your batter into two. In one bowl, add your butter but melt it about 50% of the way first. To the second bowl, add your room temperature butter. See which one you like better! Experimenting is the best way to find what works for your recipe.
Tip 2: Brown sugar! I add brown sugar to a lot of my cookies because there is more moisture in brown sugar than regular white granulated sugar. Brown sugar also contains molasses which helps to give cookies a rich flavor and chewy texture.
Try it out: For your next batch of cookies, sub half of your white granulated sugar with brown sugar and see what kind of difference it makes.
Tip 3: Don’t overbake! Overbaking your cookies leads to crispy or overdone cookies, and they won’t be as soft. The cookies will continue to bake on the cookie sheet for a few minutes even when you take them out of the oven, so you really want to watch how long you keep them in the oven for.
Try it out: Next time you make a batch of cookies, take them out a few minutes before you think they might be done. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. They’ll look underbaked but once they’re cool trust me, you’ll have a batch of nice soft chewy cookies to enjoy.
All in all, chewy cookies are a mix of ingredients, moisture retention, baking techniques, and experimenting! Use these tips next time you make a batch of cookies and let me know how they worked for you. Happy baking!