The Step Almost Everyone Skips When Making Cookies
Updated: Oct. 07, 2021
Still trying to make the perfect cookie? It's easier than you think! All you need to do is chill cookie dough before you bake it.
There are few things in the world more satisfying than cookies fresh out of the oven. If you’ve been baking long enough, you probably have all the cookie supplies you need, plus a few secrets for baking perfect cookies. But there’s one thing many folks forget. You need to chill cookie dough before baking it!
Does it make a difference? Absolutely. This is the one step that will transform even your best cookie recipes.
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Why You Need to Chill Your Cookie Dough
For starters, chilling prevents cookies from spreading out too quickly once they’re in the oven. If you use a higher fat butter (like Kerrygold), chilling your dough is absolutely essential. 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.
Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful. This is thanks to a few different factors. The dough becomes hydrated as the dry ingredients soak up moisture from the wet ingredients. This subtle hydration makes the dough less wet, concentrating the flavors. The result is cookies with a nice even bake and lovely golden brown color. And if you use brown butter in your cookie recipes, chilling the dough overnight allows the flavors to develop so you get a richer, more decadent cookie.
While this hydration is taking place, the flour also breaks down into sugar, making the dough taste sweeter. After as little as half an hour, your dough transforms into a bowl of goodness with an additional kiss of sweetness. Is it worth the wait? You bet.
How Long You Should Chill Cookie Dough For
This is really up to you. If you’re short on time, try and squeeze in at least half an hour if you can. 30 minutes will do the trick if you’re simply looking to avoid your cookies spreading all over the place. If you have the luxury of chilling the dough overnight to develop flavor, go for it.
@bromabakery cookie science 👩🔬🔬 #cookiedough #bakersoftiktok #chocolatechipcookies. (inspired by @Tastemade ♬ original sound – Sarah Crawford
According to this in-depth video by TikTok user @bromabakery, how long and whether you chill your cookie dough can have a significant effect on your final product. As she says, not chilling the cookie and baking at 350 degrees can result in a more crackly cookie, since the dough hasn’t had enough time to absorb the flour. Chilling it for half an hour, however, gives you thicker, chewier dough. Chilling for 2 hours, however, resulted in the best cookie—giving it a deep flavor, crispy edge and the optimal amount of spread.
The Best Cookies for Chilling
People always recommend chilling chocolate chip cookies but shortbread, sugar cookies and even these terrific ginger cookies all benefit from a little time in the fridge. Feel free to test it out using your favorite recipes and compare the results.
Ready to become a cookie-baking master? Check out our complete guide to baking cookies and easy cookie recipes for essential tips and tricks to make can’t-resist cookies every time!
Air-Fryer Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
I am crazy about chocolate chips, and this chewy cookie has enough to satisfy me. My husband and kids love these cookies. This big batch is perfect for our family. —Diane Neth, Menno, South Dakota
Cinnamon White & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
I wanted to put a spin on the traditional chocolate chip cookie, and who doesn't love cinnamon? Depending on what you use to drop your cookies, the serving quantity may change. —Cassie Colosimo, Reading, Pennsylvania
Chocolate Pecan Skillet Cookie
Bake up the ultimate shareable cookie. For variety, replace the chocolate chips with an equal quantity of M&M's or chocolate chunks. Or go super fancy by mixing the chocolate chips and pecans into the dough, then gently folding in 1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Culinary Editor
Chocolate Monster Cookies
My four grandsons started attending "Grandma's cooking school" when they were as young as 4. These easy monster cookies are a favorite of the youngest. He has fun making them and is always delighted with the results, as is the rest of the family. —Helen Hilbert, Liverpool, New York
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here's a new type of chocolate chip cookie. They're great for coconut lovers, textured by the coconut and flavored by the extract...a compatible combination that results in a crispy, chewy cookie. My whole family agrees this recipe is a winner. —Laura Bankard, Manchester, Maryland
Chocolate Malted Cookies
These cookies are the next best thing to a good old-fashioned malted milk. With malted milk powder, chocolate syrup, and chocolate chips and chunks, these are the best cookies I've ever tasted…and with six kids, I've made a lot of cookies over the years! —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan
Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookies
No surprise, this Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookie recipe is very heavy on the chocolate chips! —Risa Lichtman, Portland, Oregon
Chewy Chocolate Cookies
This cookie recipe—a favorite of our four children—has been in my collection for years. Sometimes I'll substitute mint-flavored chips for the semisweet chocolate chips. Either way, the chocolate cookies disappear quickly. This is one of our favorite easy chocolate chip cookie recipes. —Sheri Ziesemer, Olympia, Washington
Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Craving a childhood classic? These sugar-free chocolate chip cookies will bring you all the comfort and joy you remember. Savor the crisp, lightly browned edges or dunk in a tall glass of cold milk. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Chocolate Cake Cookies
Everyone I've shared it with has loved this chocolate cake cookies recipe. The cookies are soft and chewy, and take just a few minutes to make—even for kids! —Monica Stout, Anchorage, Alaska
Oat-Rageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
My aunt gave me this recipe, and my family thinks these cookies are delicious. We enjoy all different kinds of cookies, and with this recipe, we can combine three of our favorite kinds—oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chip—in one! —Jaymie Noble, Kalamazoo, Michigan
DoubleTree’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
DoubleTree shared its secret recipe, and I had to test them. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with the perfect ratio of walnuts and chocolate chips, these cookies checked every box on our scorecard. —Tiffany Dahle, Charlotte, North Caroline
Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
This recipe started out as a plain zucchini cookie. But over the years, I added nuts and chocolate chips. These soft cookies never make it to the cookie jar! —Tina Lunt, Bass Harbor, Maine
Double Delights
You get the best of both worlds with these chocolate and vanilla cookies. They're an appealing addition to any cookie tray. I usually serve them at the holidays, when they're often the first cookies to disappear, but you can have them any time of year. —Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta
Peanut Butter Chippers
The smell of peanut butter and chocolate always brings my cookie-hungry family running to the kitchen. The recipe is so quick and easy, I often stir up a batch while making dinner. —Pat Doerflinger, Centerview, Missouri
Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
My husband's family has been passing down sourdough recipes for over 100 years. They brought them from Europe and added some American jazz over the years. Our family always has these sourdough chocolate chip cookies at Christmastime. —Lisa Raymond, St. Joseph, Illinois
Wyoming Cowboy Cookies
These cookies are very popular here in Wyoming. Mix up a batch for your crew and see why. —Patsy Steenbock, Shoshoni, Wyoming
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Everyone who has tried these cookies says they're the best they've ever eaten. I'm sure the addition of pudding mix makes all the difference. —Iona Hamilton, Rocky Ford, Colorado
Crystallized Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is the best of twp worlds—gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies. Since they're combined, you don't have to choose between them. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
I love using zucchini in the summertime. This chocolate chip cookie recipe reminds me of a zucchini bread my aunt makes, but I wanted to make cookies for a family get-together because they would be easier to grab and eat. These taste better if you make them the day before. —Melissa Obernesser, Oriskany, New York
S'more Sandwich Cookies
Capture the taste of campfire s'mores in your kitchen. Graham cracker crumbs added to chocolate chip cookie dough bring out the flavor of the fireside favorite. Melting the cookies' marshmallow centers in the microwave makes them simple to assemble. —Abby Metzger, Larchwood, Iowa
Big & Buttery Chocolate Chip Cookies
My take on the classic chocolate chip cookie is inspired by a bakery in California called Hungry Bear. It's big, thick and chewy—truly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. —Irene Yeh, Mequon, Wisconsin
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft banana cookies have a cakelike texture and lots of flavor that everyone seem to love. It's one of the best banana cookie recipes I've found. —Vicki Raatz, Waterloo, Wisconsin
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Here's a different version of a traditional recipe. I love these soft peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. — Clarice Schweitzer, Sun City, Arizona
10-Cup Cookies
My mother used to make this easy 10-cup cookie recipe for my sisters and me. You could find one of our favorite ingredients in every bite, whether it was chocolate, coconut, raisins or nuts. —Tracy Powers, Byron Center, Michigan
Chocolate Chip & Cookie Butter Thumbprints
I wanted to make a different type of chocolate chip cookies for the holidays. Since my mom's thumbprints are what I look forward to most, I decided to combine the two. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Orange-Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
I developed this recipe after years of searching for a chocolate chip cookie that would stand out from all others. Orange and cinnamon are tasty additions. —Daniel Kaepp, Coldwater, Michigan
Giant Buckeye Cookie
I’m from Ohio, and we love our buckeye candy! Buckeyes are a delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate, which is exactly what this cookie is. All you need is a box of cake mix, a few common pantry ingredients, and voila—you have a tasty dessert ready for family and friends in under an hour. You can customize it, too, by substituting other mix-ins for the chocolate chips. We serve it warm with ice cream or whipped cream. —Arianna Harding, Cincinnati, Ohio
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
As a competitive figure skater, I need high-energy snacks to keep me going. These cookies are loaded with nuts, chips and fabulous flavor. Coaches at my skating rink are always sneaking two or three when I bring them in! —Cassandra Brzycki, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
