Did you know that Sunday May 15th is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day? We’ve got a great recipe for you and your family to make and some fun facts that will help instill science concepts in the minds of your children.
We decided to recreate the popular "Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe with our own personal take. We will show you the difference betwen control sample cookies, cookies made with white sugar, cookies with melted butter, and cookies with baking powder. (Photos courtesy of Katie Vincento @ktvincey).
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces or 142 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (4 ounces or 114 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions for 'Control' Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beating well to combine. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls and place onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Directions for Cookies with White Sugar
Follow the same directions as the control cookie but instead of adding both brown sugar and white sugar, only include granulated sugar.
The cookies will come out much flatter than the control cookie. Brown sugar has molasses, and the acid in molasses interacts with the baking soda, which puffs up the cookie. Without brown sugar, the cookies expand and stay incredibly flat, hence the reason sugar cookies are made with white sugar.
Directions for Cookies with Melted Butter
Follow the same directions as with the 'control' cookie but instead of adding room temperature butter, only include melted butter.
The cookies will develop a shiny cracked surface and become more dense. When you make cookies with room temperature butter it allows the butter to melt when baking and loosen the cookie's structure, further allowing water to escape from the cookie and mix with the baking soda which puffs the cookie up. If you like chewey and dense cookies, keep the butter in your cookies melted.
Directions for Cookies with Baking Soda
Follow the same directions as with the 'control' cookie but instead of adding baking soda and baking powder, only include baking powder.
Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and acidic salts. The reaction of these two ingredients results in a cookie that is soft and thick, but slightly harder.
Try all different types of cookies as see which you like the best! Reach out to us on social and let us know your favorite.
Want to learn more about food and science? Keep an eye out for our next post on Devil's Food Cake, or check out or post on creating the perfect apple pie! Photos courtesy of Katie Vincento @ktvincey.
