Photo Credit: Sina Mizrahi 

Once I found a brand of frozen cookie dough I liked, I took full advantage and turned to the convenience more times than I care to admit. I usually bake it straight from the freezer but was wondering if thawing it first would be beneficial. Also, would baking the cookies at different temperatures yield a different texture? So I experimented with a batch I had in the freezer and was surprised to see that one difference was marginal and the other was noticeable.

Ingredient

• store-bought cookie dough

My Experiment

I baked one batch thawed at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes and another at 325°F (160°C) for 14 minutes.

I baked another batch straight from the freezer at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes and another at 325°F (160°C) for 14 minutes.

Results

I found no noticeable difference between baking the dough thawed or frozen. My theory is that cookie dough thaws fast enough in the oven while baking that it makes no difference.

I did find a difference between baking it at a higher temperature versus a lower temperature. The cookie baked at the lower temperature for more time spread out more and so was thinner, even a bit crisper in the edges.

The cookie baked at the higher temperature was chewier and thicker.

I assure you, both were delicious. It’s a matter of textural preference; I prefer a thicker cookie so I’ll be sticking to baking at a higher temperature.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 796)