The Genius Way to Chill Cookie Dough in 15 Minutes Flat
We've all been there. You're making a batch of cookies and pull up the recipe. Oops. You were supposed to chill the dough overnight or for at least an hour. But you need cookies now. You could bake them without chilling like the rule-breaker you are, but you'll likely be disappointed. Most of the time, recipe directions are there for a reason.
Luckily for all of us, social media is a treasure trove of tips and tricks, and even luckier for us there are legit experts — like food writer, editor, food stylist and cookie expert Jesse Szewczyk — who are willing to share their knowledge. He recently dished details on his "ice bath" trick, which will get you chilled cookie dough in 15 minutes. Here's what you need to know.
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How To Chill Cookie Dough Quickly
Szewczyk shared his ice bath trick on the epicurious Instagram account.
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Szewczyk started by comparing cookies made with pre-chilled cookie dough versus ones made without chilling the dough. You can see the difference. The treats made with chilled dough look thick and chewy. The others look flat and thin and a little sad. And nobody wants a sad cookie, right? To chill your dough down quickly, here's what Szewczyk suggests.
Transfer your cookie dough to a zip-top bag.
Close the bag and flatten the dough so it looks like a giant cookie dough cake (or pancake).
Put the dough in a bowl full of ice water.
Wait 15 minutes, reminding yourself of delayed gratification.
Cut open the bag and slice the cookie dough into a grid (a la store-bought break-and-bake dough) or break off portions of the chilled dough and roll it into balls.
Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake.
Devour.
"They bake up really nice and dense," Szewczyk says. "They don’t spread out too much versus if you baked it right away, they’d spread right away, be crispy instead of chewy."
"This is genius," said a grateful Instagram user.
"SCIENCE!" raved another.
"Baking hack for the future," wrote someone else, tagging a friend because sharing is caring.
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Eco-Friendly Alternatives To the Ice Bath Trick
Giving cookie dough an ice bath is handy. However, some people cringed at the plastic bag. They offered some plastic-free solutions.
"Sometimes I scoop the cookies out [and] then put [them] in the freezer for 15-20 minutes," shared one fan.
Another also makes use of their freezer.
"Why not just scoop the dough before you chill it?" the person wrote. "[It's] so much easier on your hands, far less mess [and] kinder to the earth."
Another option would be to use a reusable zip-top silicone bag, though you'd need to break off pieces of the dough instead of cutting the bag open.
Whatever method you choose, it's good to know that warm, fresh cookies are only minutes away.
More Smart Cookie Tips You Need to Know
? How to Keep Your Sugar Cookie Dough From Sticking
? How to Soften Butter in 5 Minutes
? The Secret Ingredient to the Best-Ever Sugar Cookies
? The Easy Way to Make Perfectly Round Cookies
? How to Make Picture-Perfect Spritz Cookies
