Someone forwarded me this article on chocolate chip cookies, and I read it with a great deal of interest - did letting the batter rest for 36 hours make a flavor difference? So I dutifully made a batch of cookies, following their recipe - minus the expensive "bittersweet chocolate discs" because I don't live anywhere where I can buy those and also because I am cheap. Instead I did a housemix of all of the chocolate chips we had in the house, some butterscotch chips AND some M&Ms. But I did sprinkle a few of the cookies with a bit of sea salt, as called for, and did three test batches - one right away, one 24 hours later and one 36 hours later.
Ah, Science.
With my older kids and my parents as testers, we tried out all three batches. And you know, it's really kind of hard for chocolate chip cookies hot from the oven to be disappointing - they're just a pleasing thing. The sea salt cookies were not a big hit ("What is the matter with my cookie?" - The Boy), although I think that with a better chocolate it would make more sense. So the first, immediate batch was a general crowd pleaser.
This is it - the one picture I was able to take before my camera's batteries died. DOH!
The second batch - the 24 hour one - was also a hit and they DID have a slightly deeper flavour. Obligingly enough, the 36 hour batch WAS the best, but I was a bit tired of trying out chocolate chip cookies by that time. I don't know if the difference was profound enough for me to suggest refrigerating your chocolate chip cookie dough for 36 hours, because at MY house, when I make cookies, it is because we want cookies RIGHT NOW. Should you want to make Superior Cookies, though....
I also made some zucchini bread recently, which was fine, and many many loaves of soft white gluten free bread. I found this recipe and have had consistently great, Baby-pleasing results, which is nice.
I love, LOVE that tray the bread is on. So ugly!
This is not normally a big baking time of year for me - it's hot! we're busy! This summer is cold and wet and grey and most days find me baking something, in between taking The Baby to the beach in SWEATERS:
Isn't THAT summery? Yeah. Hence all the baking and chocolate chip cookie testing, the oven practically the only warm thing for miles around.
All of that cold summer stuff gathered up in my heart and by yesterday afternoon I had HAD it. So I went for a walk with a friend, The Baby screaming "MAMA DON'T GO!" very dramatically at the door since I never go anywhere without her. I was gone for a while (my friend told me a very exciting story about nearly getting eaten by a bear - thrilling!) and when I got home, my family was nowhere in sight. It was a sudden absence, not being there when I expected to come home to our house full of their noise, barreling out the door to see me. I rounded the house, the wind erasing all other noise, rounded the corner of the yard - and there they were, suddenly, having a parade in the golden, cold sunlight, all of their faces turning to greet me and the sudden warmth rising up, this instant and radiant joy. Summer.
Interesting. I just don't get who would actually let chocolate chip cookie dough sit for 36 hours? I have a life...it needs cookies when it needs cookies!
I am so jealous of your ability to go to the beach--even in sweaters. That must be wonderful.
Thanks for doing the experiment. I'll keep burning my fingers and my mouth on the ones straight from the oven in peace now!
You live near a BEACH? I'm jealous. And that bread looks so good.
I love the way you describe that warmth. The kind of warmth you can find year-round. We all need a daily dose.
In our house, raw cookie dough is considered almost as good as baked cookies so leaving it in the fridge for any length of time is asking for a severe decrease in cookie dough by the time you're ready to bake.
I've been baking more this summer, too. 80 degrees F doesn't somehow seem hot enough to make it summer.
And...if I had chocolate cookie dough sitting here for 36 hours, lets just say that there wouldn't be ANY left for actual cookies. I'd eat it. All. By. Myself.
It made me sad to read that it is so cool and un-summerlike at your house. You wait so long for the nice weather and here you are not even able to enjoy it. I'd so very gladly send you some of mine but I think it would be hard to box and expensive to deliver.
Throw on a sweatshirt and know that I'd love to trade.
I baked some yummy cookies on the weekend, but it was HOT outside! I needed them to take to a picnic. Almost all other baking has ceased in my house until fall!
I read that article and was happy that it made my brother think of me when he read it and I have been craving chocolate chip cookies ever since. But I've been afraid to experiment with them out of fear I would eat them all! The 12 hour, 24 hour and 36 hour batches. I have visitors right now so I considered making them last night but sadly, I didn't have any eggs. Still craving chocolate chip cookies.
Interesting experiment. I don't think I'd have the willpower to wait for so long but you reminded me that I do need to bake cookies today. Usually, we eat some fresh ones and put the rest in the freezer. We love c/c cookies straight from the freezer. Oh yum! Hm, cookies for lunch today, I think....okay, maybe not.
Butterscotch chips. YUM.
i am SOOOO going to try that!!
So beautiful, that picture, your little one, what you wrote - again! Oh ya, and the food. Looks yummy, too.
I'm with Tracy. In fact, unbaked cookie dough is even more desirable than the baked stuff. It wouldn't last.
I'm with you--when we make cookies, it's because it's a purely spontaneous act, no waiting 36 hours for us!
We always make a double (or triple!) batch of cookies, so we can bake some right away and bake the rest some other time. Cookie dough is always at the ready! But I generally felt a little bad baking up "old" cookie dough. If it's actually, scientifically proven to be tastier, then woohoo!
I am not sure I could 36 LONG hours for cookies.
Bummer about the cool summer!
No way could cookie dough last that long in my house...even if the kids didn't know it was there!