Will Resting Your Cookie Dough Yield Better Cookies? (2024)

We all have strongly held opinions about cookies — but this is a rule everyone should follow.

Published on March 17, 2022

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Will Resting Your Cookie Dough Yield Better Cookies? (1)

Searching for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe is like trying to find the best slice of pizza in New York City — everyone has an opinion, and with so many different preferences and options, one person's favorite may not even make another expert's list.

And, just as with pizza, there is a lot of debate on what makes a great batch of chocolate chip cookies. Countless publications, recipe developers, and home bakers claim to have cracked the code, offering up their recipe for chocolate chip cookies as the definitive best, but the formula for the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie is completely subjective. Your ideal cookies may be thin and crispy, while others prefer a soft-baked mound of dough. There are good cases to be made for using chocolate chips, wide couverture chocolate discs, or hand-chopped slabs of chocolate. And you can argue the merits of using cake flour versus all-purpose, butter or shortening, or white or brown sugar all day.

The short answer is: Yes. Resting your dough in the refrigerator will almost always yield better results.

But there's one rule that works for just about every chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, and it's the answer to a common cookie baking question: Does resting your cookie dough make better cookies? The short answer is: Yes. Resting your dough in the refrigerator will almost always yield better results.

But why? Chilling your cookie dough in the refrigerator after mixing it allows the flour to hydrate and gives the other ingredients time to blend, resulting in a richer, more well-rounded flavor profile. There's another benefit to this trick: Resting your cookie dough before baking also helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven, leading to more browning and caramelization of the dough itself and keeping the cookies from spreading out too thin. Former Food & Wine editor Kelsey Youngman explains that the science behind this technique is the same as when you refrigerate or freeze a pie crust before baking it. "When it goes into the oven, the butter doesn't completely melt right away," she says. Youngman says chilling the dough for at least one hour before baking is crucial. An overnight sleepover in the fridge is even better. But if you can't wait, shape your dough into balls and freeze them for 15 minutes before popping them into the oven.

Will Resting Your Cookie Dough Yield Better Cookies? (2)

So yes, resting your cookie dough makes better cookies. Understanding specific foundational baking techniques like these will give you more consistent results, so you can create the best sheet tray of cookies every time. And while we won't declare a single cookie recipe the best ever, we can definitely make a case for our Brown-Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies or these Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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As a seasoned baking enthusiast with a deep understanding of the intricate details that go into perfecting a batch of cookies, I'd like to shed light on the concepts discussed in the article and provide additional insights.

Firstly, the article touches on the subjective nature of cookie preferences, drawing a parallel with the diversity of opinions on the best slice of pizza in New York City. This highlights a crucial aspect of the baking world – the personal and varied tastes that individuals have when it comes to cookies. It's essential to recognize that there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to baking cookies, and what might be perfect for one person might not align with another's preferences.

The article delves into the ongoing debate about what constitutes the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie, with numerous publications, recipe developers, and home bakers claiming to have the ultimate recipe. This emphasizes the diversity of methods and ingredients used in cookie recipes, showcasing the vast array of choices available to bakers.

Now, let's focus on the key technique discussed in the article – resting cookie dough in the refrigerator. The article makes a strong case for this practice, asserting that it almost always yields better results. This is backed by the explanation that chilling the dough allows the flour to hydrate and the ingredients to blend, resulting in a richer and more well-rounded flavor profile. The science behind this technique is compared to the process of refrigerating or freezing a pie crust before baking, preventing the butter from melting too quickly in the oven.

Former Food & Wine editor Kelsey Youngman provides additional clarity, stating that chilling the dough for at least one hour is crucial, and an overnight rest in the fridge is even better. This extended chilling period helps the cookies hold their shape during baking, promoting more browning and caramelization while preventing excessive spreading.

The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding foundational baking techniques, like resting cookie dough, to achieve consistent and superior results. This aligns with the broader concept that mastering fundamental baking principles contributes to overall success in creating delightful baked goods.

In summary, the article underscores the subjective nature of cookie preferences, the diversity in cookie recipes, and the significance of resting cookie dough as a foundational baking technique for achieving optimal flavor and texture. As a baking enthusiast, embracing these concepts can empower you to craft the perfect batch of cookies tailored to your unique taste preferences.