Why Are People Putting *This* In Their Chocolate Chip Cookies? (2024)

Is it the secret ingredient you’ve been missing? We tested it out.

By

Sara Haas, RDN, LDN

Why Are People Putting *This* In Their Chocolate Chip Cookies? (1)

Sara Haas RDN, LDN, is a food and nutrition expert with formal training in the culinary arts. She works as a freelance writer, recipe developer, media authority, public speaker, and consultant dietitian/chef. Sara has over 20 years of experience as a registered and licensed dietitian. She has also been a professional chef for 15 years and a food photographer for 10 years.

Published on July 27, 2023

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Why Are People Putting *This* In Their Chocolate Chip Cookies? (2)

You may have heard the internet buzz around adding water to chocolate chip cookie dough. Is water the ingredient your cookies have been missing? Or is it all hype? We tested the theory using our most popular chocolate chip cookie recipe, and then asked a baking pro for her expert thoughts. Here’s what we discovered.

Why Add Water to Cookie Dough?

Opinions differ on the potential benefits of adding water to cookie dough batter. The recipe for The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies claims that the addition of a small amount of water, “creates steam as [the cookie] bakes, working with the baking soda to puff the cookies up.” Others claim mixing warm water with baking soda helps remove clumps and disperses it with the other ingredients in the recipe. Finally, the warm water is thought to help jump-start the action of the baking soda. But are any of these theories true?

We Asked the Experts

Chef Susan Reid, expert baker and writer at The Well Plated Life says that dissolving baking soda in water “is likely a holdover from a long time ago as a method to evenly disperse the baking soda in the batter.” That’s because baking soda readily absorbs moisture and is prone to clumping. Luckily, thanks to advances in food storage options, this step isn’t necessary. Instead, Reid recommends whisking the leaveners through a sifter with the rest of the dry ingredients to accomplish the same task.

As for other benefits, Reid says that the most likely effect of adding water to cookie dough batter would be a cakier texture, depending on the amount. Reid also says there’s no real benefit of mixing the water and baking soda as a way to accelerate the leavening action. “This would have a marginal contribution given the small gradations with the small volume and short bake time of cookies,” she says.

We Tested It Ourselves

We needed to see for ourselves if adding water to our cookie dough batter made any difference. We made two batches of our recipe for The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, one with water and one without. The only difference between the two preparations was that for one of the batches we mixed the baking soda in 1 tablespoon of warm water before adding it to the dough.

The Results

Is it worth adding water to your cookie dough? Based on our testing, no. After baking both batches, we noticed no difference in appearance or taste. Even blind taste testers thought the cookies looked and tasted the same.

Why Are People Putting *This* In Their Chocolate Chip Cookies? (3)

While we’d love to end the story there, we need to point out that there is another variable at play here, moisture. Since cookie dough is composed of ingredients with varying amounts of moisture, results can differ from batch to batch and baker to baker. Elevation and humidity can also alter results. So while adding 1 tablespoon of water to my cookies did nothing, it could have a different impact for someone else, somewhere else.

Bottom Line

The most likely benefit of adding water to your cookie dough is to help hydrate the batter. If your dough looks dry after mixing (especially when using browned butter), adding a tablespoon or two of water could be just what your dough needs to prevent a dry, crumbly cookie. Our advice? Have some water on standby, but don’t assume you’ll need to use it.

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Why Are People Putting *This* In Their Chocolate Chip Cookies? (2024)

FAQs

What does dissolving baking soda in hot water do for cookies? ›

A: Baking soda is heat sensitive. Typically, it starts working in the hot oven. In some recipes, it is dissolved in hot water first to kick-start its action, particularly for cookies that aren't in the oven for very long. Dissolving the soda in water also helps to ensure that it gets equally distributed in the batter.

What makes chocolate chip cookies taste so good? ›

While chocolate is the headliner of any chocolate chip cookie recipe, don't underestimate what an important role vanilla extract plays. Vanilla gives these cookies more flavor and accentuates the taste of the chocolate. Make sure you're reaching for the best vanilla extract so your cookies are the very best.

Why am I addicted to cookies? ›

And some sweet foods and drinks are incredibly addictive. That's why many processed foods are loaded with them. They trigger the release of dopamine, a brain chemical that motivates us to engage in rewarding behaviors. Over time, our tolerance for sweet foods builds up, and we need more to reward ourselves.

What does adding water to cookie dough do? ›

The most likely benefit of adding water to your cookie dough is to help hydrate the batter. If your dough looks dry after mixing (especially when using browned butter), adding a tablespoon or two of water could be just what your dough needs to prevent a dry, crumbly cookie.

What happens if I don't put baking soda in my cookies? ›

You technically can leave out baking soda in certain recipes (like chocolate chip cookies or pancakes) in a pinch, but you need to understand that your finished product will not be as light and fluffy as the recipe intended.

How do you keep chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy? ›

Putting a slice of fresh white bread in the container with the cookies will help the cookies stay soft: fresh bread is moist, and that slice will give up its moisture for the greater good: keeping the cookies from drying out. We recommend white bread so that no flavor is transferred to the cookies.

How to make store bought chocolate chip cookies taste homemade? ›

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.

What does chocolate chip cookies do to your body? ›

Chocolate Chip Cookies Can Be Healthy

They also contain flavonoids, which have been shown to improve blood flow and reduce inflammation. In addition, the oats in some chocolate chip cookie recipes are a great source of fiber.

What is the most addictive food? ›

Every person has different food preferences, of course, but most will agree that seven of the most addictive foods are:
  • Pizza.
  • Chocolate.
  • Potato chips.
  • Ice cream.
  • French fries.
  • Cake.
  • Cheeseburgers.
May 25, 2022

Why you should stop eating cookies? ›

Cookies tend to be high in refined sugar and saturated fats. They're generally considered unhealthy, and eating them often can be a risk factor for developing type II diabetes, obesity and Alzheimers.

How many cookies a day is ok? ›

While one cookie a day isn't going to completely derail your diet goals, it's often easy to eat more than one at a time, and soon enough, downing quite a few cookies throughout the day could lead to unwanted pounds.

What does adding milk to cookies do? ›

One of the main roles of milk in baking is to provide moisture. It can help to keep baked goods from becoming too dry and crumbly, and can also add tenderness to the texture. In addition to adding moisture, milk can also help to create a softer crumb in breads and cakes.

Is water or milk better for cookies? ›

Texture: Dough made with milk tends to be softer and richer in texture compared to dough made with water, which can be firmer and denser. Flavor: Milk adds a subtle sweetness and richness to the dough, while water results in a more neutral flavor. This can affect the overall taste of the baked goods.

What happens if you mix baking soda with hot water? ›

Baking soda and water is exothermic and so the water gets a little warmer. This is because the binding energy of the chemical bonds of the products has an excess over the binding energy of the components. Therefore, energy is released and the water warms up.

What is the purpose of hot water in cookies? ›

Water helps distribute ingredients like baking soda evenly. It hydrates flour (aiding in gluten development) and in the oven, water creates steam that allows the cookies to rise.

What happens when baking soda is heated with water? ›

When baking powder is heated or mixed in water, CO2 gas is produced. When baking powder is heated or mixed with water it evolves carbon dioxide gas which gets converted into sodium carbonate. The chemical reaction is as followed: NaHCO3 →Na2C03 +CO2+H2O.

Does baking soda make cookies soft or hard? ›

Baking soda also serves another important purpose when it comes to cookies: It encourages spreading by raising the mixture's pH, which slows protein coagulation. This gives the dough more time to set before the eggs set, which results in a more evenly baked cookie.

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