Chilling cookie dough: Does it make a difference? (2024)

Why refrigerate chocolate chip cookie dough — or for that matter, any basic drop cookie dough — before baking? Does chilling cookie dough really make any difference?

The short answer: yes, chilling cookie dough prior to baking does make a difference. But the story behind that "yes" might surprise you.

We recently tested this question with a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. Understand, though, that these results can be applied to other kinds of plain drop cookie dough:sugar cookies,snickerdoodles, etc.

First, we baked some of the cookie dough immediately, without any chilling. Then, we put the dough in the fridge and continued to bake cookies over the next 10 days, at regularly spaced intervals after aging.

The result?

Chilling cookie dough: Does it make a difference? (1)

Chilling cookie dough for just 30 minutes makes a big difference.

The cookies pictured above are the same size, weight-wise. But look at the difference in spread — the cookie dough that was refrigerated spread less. The cookie dough without refrigeration also browned less.

So, the longer the dough is chilled, the more the cookies change?

Chilling cookie dough: Does it make a difference? (2)

The longer you chill cookie dough, the smaller the changes become.

Call it the law of diminishing returns. The major difference is between no chilling at all vs. chilling cookie dough for 30 minutes. After that, the baked cookie continues to evolve — though very gradually.

Chilling cookie dough: Does it make a difference? (3)

Over time, chilling cookie dough produces cookies with darker color and more pronounced flavor.

Here you see the beginning and end of the test: Clearly the cookie baked from dough aged for 10 days in the refrigerator spread less and is darker in color. Its flavor is also more pronounced; our taste testers couldn't identify any particular flavor note that stood out above the rest, but simply noted that the cookie aged for 10 days "tastes better" than the cookie baked on day #1.

Overall, cookies baked immediately tasted rather flat; and their texture was soft and rather doughy, without being chewy. Cookies baked after chilling the dough (for as little as 30 minutes) became chewy, and progressively more flavorful with longer aging.

So, what does chilling cookie dough do, exactly?

1) Chilling cookie dough controls spread.

Chilling cookie dough before baking solidifies the fat in the cookies. As the cookies bake, the fat in the chilled cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the less cookies spread.

In addition, the sugar in the dough gradually absorbs liquid. If you bake the dough immediately, before sugar has a chance to absorb much liquid, that liquid remains "free" in the dough, and promotes spread. Think of this in terms of thin vs. thick pancake batter: the more liquid in batter, the more it spreads, right? Same with cookies.

Chilling cookie dough: Does it make a difference? (4)

2) Chilling cookie dough concentrates flavor.

As the dough chills, it gradually dries out, concentrating the flavors of all the ingredients. Think of watered-down lemonade, vs. lemonade with less water: dull flavor vs. bright, tangy flavor. Same with cookies.

Something else happens as the dough rests: part of the flour breaks down into its component parts, including a simple carbohydrate, sugar. Thus, since sugar is a flavor enhancer (like salt), the cookies may taste more flavorful, as well as sweeter after aging.

3) Chilling cookie dough changes texture.

Again, it's not really the chilling, but the dough gradually drying out, that's responsible for texture change. The drier the dough, the more concentrated the sugar. And a higher percentage of sugar creates cookies with chewy/crisp (rather than soft/doughy) texture.

So, enough with the science; let's enjoy one of these fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, shall we? At the end of the day — or even after just 30 minutes — there's simply nothing finer.


Do you have any chocolate chip cookie tips to pass along? Please share in "comments," below.

Chilling cookie dough: Does it make a difference? (2024)

FAQs

Does chilling cookie dough make a difference? ›

The longer you chill the dough, the more flavor will develop. The flour will also absorb more of the moisture so the thicker and chewier the final texture will be.

Is it better to refrigerate cookie dough? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies.

What happens if I don't chill my cookie dough? ›

Sure, you can skip the chilling step and bake the dough right away, but doing so runs the risk of flat disks with dry edges and a brittle texture; a far cry for the plush, chewy cookies with fudge-like centers we all crave.

Why does refrigerated cookie dough taste better? ›

Chilling your cookie dough in the refrigerator after mixing it allows the flour to hydrate and gives the other ingredients time to blend, resulting in a richer, more well-rounded flavor profile.

Does resting cookie dough make it better? ›

So while resting the dough means you're another 30 or 60 minutes (or, if you're really committed, 72 hours) away from cookies, it also means those cookies will be chewier, gooier, and more delicious.

Why poke holes in cookie dough before baking? ›

So by poking the holes in, the cookie. will ensure that the cookie shape does not spread, which sugar cookies love to do. It also helps it stay nice and flat at the top.

How to make refrigerated cookie dough better? ›

No one will even suspect they're store-bought (and we won't tell anyone!).
  1. Add brown sugar. ...
  2. Experiment with extracts. ...
  3. Mix in different candies and snacks. ...
  4. Add espresso or coffee grounds. ...
  5. Deepen the flavors by refrigerating the dough. ...
  6. Salt before baking the cookies. ...
  7. Reduce baking time for extra soft cookies.

Should peanut butter cookie dough be refrigerated before baking? ›

Refrigerating the dough will give it more structure so the cookies spread less and hold their fork marks through baking. Cooling the dough also ensures that all of the ingredients are the same temperature: they'll bake more evenly and the flavors will meld beautifully. Heat oven to 375°F.

Can I leave the dough overnight before baking? ›

Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.

How many minutes should I chill cookie dough? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Do you always have to chill sugar cookie dough? ›

Chilling the dough is a key step in making sugar cookies, especially when you're making cut-outs. Even if you're tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge, or even the freezer, even if it's only for a little while. Skip this step, and the dough will be sticky, and much harder to work with.

Is it safe to bake cookie dough left out overnight? ›

No, it isn't safe. Cookie dough should only sit out for 2-4 hours at room temp because the ingredients that are normally in cookie dough include both eggs & butter.

Why do bakery cookies taste so good? ›

A good cookie should have a balanced mix of sweetness, saltiness, and richness from the butter and other ingredients. Butter: Butter is an essential ingredient in many cookie recipes, and high-quality butter can make a big difference in the flavor and texture of a cookie.

Why is my refrigerated cookie dough so hard? ›

If you have kept your dough in the refrigerator and you find that it has developed a dry texture you will need to add more liquid. Add a teaspoon of water or milk and mix. I would recommend mixing with your hands to avoid overmixing the dough.

Does chilling cookie dough make it less sticky? ›

This improves the flavor of the cookies. Makes the cookie dough less sticky and easier to handle. This is especially important for rolling and cutting out cookie dough, such as in these sugar cookie and lemon poppy seed cookie recipes.

How important is it to chill sugar cookie dough? ›

Chilling the dough is a key step in making sugar cookies, especially when you're making cut-outs. Even if you're tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge, or even the freezer, even if it's only for a little while. Skip this step, and the dough will be sticky, and much harder to work with.

Why does freezing cookie dough make it taste better? ›

When cookie dough is frozen, the fats and sugars in the dough have more time to meld together, resulting in a richer and more complex flavor. Additionally, freezing the dough helps to solidify the fats, which can prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking, resulting in a thicker and chewier texture.

How long can raw cookie dough sit out? ›

Cookie dough should only sit out for 2-4 hours at room temp because the ingredients that are normally in cookie dough include both eggs & butter.

Does freezing cookie dough make it thicker? ›

the cookies that were baked from frozen have spread less in the oven. making them much more thicker and less crispier. if we break these ones open you can see that the inside is much gooier.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dong Thiel

Last Updated:

Views: 6368

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dong Thiel

Birthday: 2001-07-14

Address: 2865 Kasha Unions, West Corrinne, AK 05708-1071

Phone: +3512198379449

Job: Design Planner

Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing

Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.