--- description: Because, c’mon, we’re talking chocolate chip cookies here. title: The Science Behind Baking the Most Delicious Cookie Ever image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d59d3d27c480c6b/6986a0e4cd804d54a6ccc800/30574_cookie-testing02text.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Living](/tag/time-section-living/) ## Living Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Science Behind Baking the Most Delicious Cookie Ever by [Anne Miller/Ozy](/author/ozy/) ## Anne Miller/Ozy Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 26, 2014 1:00 PM CUT  HANDLE THE HEAT by [Anne Miller/Ozy](/author/ozy/) ## Anne Miller/Ozy Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 26, 2014 1:00 PM CUT _This post originally appeared on_ [_Ozy.com_](http://www.ozy.com/good-sht/the-secret-to-baking-the-best-chocolate-cookie-science/6613.article "undefined")_._ You like soft and chewy. He likes thin and crispy. If only there were a chocolate chip cookie recipe that pleased everyone… There is! And, no, it’s not Martha Stewart’s. It’s science. We’ve taken our cues from a few spots: a bioengineering grad student named Kendra Nyberg, who co-taught a class at UCLA called Science and Food, and chef and cookbook author [Tessa Arias](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt%5Fathr%5Fdp%5Fsr%5F1?ie=UTF8&field-author=Tessa+Arias&search-alias=books&text=Tessa+Arias&sort=relevancerank "undefined"), who writes about _cookie science_ on her site, [Handle the Heat.](http://www.handletheheat.com/2013/08/the-ultimate-guide-to-chocolate-chip-cookies-part-2.html "undefined") There’s also an illuminating [Ted Talk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6wpNhyreDE&noredirect=1 "undefined") animation on cookie science. And if you really want to go nuts (or no nuts, your call), [Serious Eats](http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/12/the-food-lab-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html?ref=search "undefined") offers 21 painstakingly tested steps for the Perfect Cookie, including kneading times and chocolate prep techniques. “Even though I can describe what I like,” says Nyberg, “I didn’t know the role of each ingredient in the texture and shape of cookies.” So she looked into it — as only a scientist can. ([MORE: His Grandfather Invented Doritos But Tim West Prefers Kale](http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars-and-provocateurs/tim-west-hacking-the-food-system/31652.article?utm%5Fsource=TM1&utm%5Fmedium=pp&utm%5Fcampaign=pp "undefined")) Here, relying on the experts’ help and based on the classic [Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie](http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/Original-NESTL%C3%89-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx "undefined") recipe, OZY presents no-fail tips for baking _your_ perfect cookie. (You’re welcome.) **Ooey-gooey:** Add 2 cups more flour. **A nice tan:** Set the oven higher than 350 degrees (maybe 360). Caramelization, which gives cookies their nice brown tops, occurs above 356 degrees, says the Ted video. **Crispy with a soft center:** Use 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. **Chewy:** Substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour. ([MORE: Food Waste – There’s (Finally) An App For That](http://www.ozy.com/good-sht/pareup-an-app-to-reduce-food-waste/32711.article?utm%5Fsource=TM1&utm%5Fmedium=pp&utm%5Fcampaign=pp "undefined")) **Just like store-bought:** Trade the butter for shortening. Arias notes that this ups the texture but reduces some flavor; her suggestion is to use half butter and half shortening. **Thick (and less crispy):** Freeze the batter for 30 to 60 minutes before baking. This solidifies the butter, which will spread less while baking. **Cakey:** Use more baking soda because, according to Nyberg, it “releases carbon dioxide when heated, which makes cookies puff up.” **Butterscotch flavored:** Use 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (instead of the same amount of combined granulated sugar and light brown sugar). **Uniformity:** If looks count, add one ounce corn syrup and one ounce granulated sugar. **More. Just, more:** Chilling the dough for at least 24 hours before baking deepens all the flavors, Arias found. ([MORE: Table for One? This Question Will Never Terrify You Again.](http://www.ozy.com/good-sht/eenmaal-dining-dutch-solo-style/31175.article?utm%5Fsource=TM1&utm%5Fmedium=pp&utm%5Fcampaign=pp "undefined")) _Read next:_ [_Watch Sir Ian McKellen Teach Cookie Monster About Self-Control_](http://time.com/3638457/sir-ian-mckellen-cookie-monster-sesame-street/?xid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3179770/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3179770/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/"},"headline":"The Science Behind Baking the Most Delicious Cookie Ever","datePublished":"2014-08-26T13:00:49.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:55:52.796Z","description":"Because, c’mon, we’re talking chocolate chip cookies here","url":"https://time.com/3179770/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/","keywords":["Living","Food & Drink","Food","cookies","Culture","Recipes","Success topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d59d3d27c480c6b/6986a0e4cd804d54a6ccc800/30574_cookie-testing02text.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Anne Miller/Ozy"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d59d3d27c480c6b/6986a0e4cd804d54a6ccc800/30574_cookie-testing02text.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"30574_Cookie-Testing02TEXT","caption":"Different types of chocolate chip cookies","creditText":"HANDLE THE HEAT","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3179770/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/","name":"The Science Behind Baking the Most Delicious Cookie Ever"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Girl Scouts Selling Cookies Through A Drive-Thru","description":"A Girl Scouts troop in New Hampshire created a drive-thru to sell their boxes of cookies.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Mxe7MpZq/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-03-10T17:45:56.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Mxe7MpZq.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3179770/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/","duration":"PT1M4S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3179770/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```