You Need To Salt Your Chocolate Chip Cookies- It’s Scientific!
Here’s a tip for all you new homeschooling parents- cookies= science!
Let me back up. About a month ago, my husband took our 2 oldest children camping, and for a fun activity, I thought I would bake chocolate chip cookies with my 3 youngest. I had my eye on a chocolate chip cookie recipe from Joanna Gaines’ cookbook Magnolia Table, and making cookies is one of the most fun activities in the universe when you’re 3 years old! My sister was over as well, and I thought she’d be the perfect taste-tester as well. We’re both pretty picky with our cookies! (Thanks, Mom!)
When we finally dug in, we agreed- the cookie was really similar to our mom’s, but something wasn’t quite right- it needed more salt! I sprinkled some coarse sea salt on top of the fresh hot batch and then they were perfect! I especially loved the crunch of the salt while eating a soft chewy cookie- the combination of lightly salty and sweet and crunchy and chewy was addicting and satisfying.
I wanted to give these cookies another shot, and this time, I added a little more flour and a little more salt. They were SUPER tasty, if I do say so myself. However, I still added some salt to a few- because I just love that crunch of salt with the sweet cookie!
My 8 year old son was complaining that he doesn’t like salt on cookies- and I had to take advantage of the opportunity to teach him 2 things: 1- that salt does indeed taste good on cookies, and 2- the process of testing a hypothesis.
I wrote my “hypothesis” on our white board and told him that I believed that salt on a cookie was actually tastier, and we would “experiment” to see what would happen.
I gave each of my children ½ of a cookie that had not been salted. They of course enjoyed them thoroughly. I then gave them a ½ cookie that had been salted. My kids of course, ate these as hungrily as the first ½. I then gave them another ½ of an unsalted cookie so they could really compare the flavor and texture. My 7 year old immediately piped up: “The salted cookie is better!” My 5 year old asked me which one I prefer, and I told her I wanted to hear her opinion first. She then stated that she liked the salted ones, as did my 3 year old (through a chocolatey mouth full of cookie). My 8 year old thought about it for a minute, then said- “I couldn’t really taste the difference”. In my opinion he either got a piece of cookie that wasn’t very salted, or his pride wouldn’t let him admit that he liked it better ;).
As you can see, after my very scientific research, it is safe to say that salted cookies taste better! ;) Or at least the Hoffmann household believes so. If you don’t believe me, give it a try! Just a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt will take your cookies to the next level.
And of course, I can’t leave you hanging without the cookie recipe! It really is such a good one! I just added a heaping ½ teaspoon of salt, and made sure to add enough flour.
Enjoy!
Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies
Straight from Magnolia Table!
Yield: Makes about 40 cookies
Serving size: 5
Calories per serving: 676
Ingredients:
Serving size: 5
Calories per serving: 676
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Place the butter and sugar In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and large bowl.) Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until blended.
Turn the mixer off and add the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed just until the flour is mixed in, then turn the mixer to high speed for a few seconds to pull the dough together; it will be chunky. Add the chocolate chips and beat on high speed to thoroughly and quickly mix in the chips, about 5 seconds.
Drop the dough by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet; don’t flatten them. Bake until lightly browned on top, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on the pan on a rack for 1 minute, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
*I like to add a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of salt. They are great with some coarse sea salt sprinkled on top as well! Make sure to add enough flour.
Source: thekitchn.com
Place the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Place the butter and sugar In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and large bowl.) Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until blended.
Turn the mixer off and add the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed just until the flour is mixed in, then turn the mixer to high speed for a few seconds to pull the dough together; it will be chunky. Add the chocolate chips and beat on high speed to thoroughly and quickly mix in the chips, about 5 seconds.
Drop the dough by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet; don’t flatten them. Bake until lightly browned on top, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on the pan on a rack for 1 minute, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
*I like to add a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of salt. They are great with some coarse sea salt sprinkled on top as well! Make sure to add enough flour.
Source: thekitchn.com
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Source:
- https://www.thekitchn.com/joanna-gaines-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe-257520
- https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-xlktq
Camille Hoffmann
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
Email the author! camille@dvo.com
