When it comes to baking, who would have thought that vinegar in chocolate chip cookies is a good thing. It sounds counter intuitive to put vinegar into a baked good, but there’s good reason for adding it. See how and why this little ingredient can have a big impact on your cookies.
About Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve checked out my website, then you know that I’m kind of obsessed with chocolate chip cookies. Like many people, it is my go-to cookie when I feel like baking or need to make a treat. Sometimes I feel like I’ve tried every recipe under the sun. The original Toll House recipe is where the chocolate chip cookie began, but baking has come a long way since then so there are a lot of great recipes out there.
Some of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes include the ATK Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie, and the Grand Floridian chocolate chip cookie with powdered sugar. So, when I came across a recipe that included vinegar, I thought it sounded crazy. But much to my surprise, adding just a small amount of vinegar turned out amazing cookies.
Vinegar in Cookie Dough
After trying vinegar in chocolate chip cookies, I wanted to really understand the science behind vinegar and how it actually helps. There are a few key reasons why vinegar helps cookie dough.
- Vinegar mixes with baking soda and acts as a leavening agent to give cookies a little lift and prevent them from spreading.
- Vinegar prevents gluten from forming, which can make cookies tough. This is why it’s always important not to overmix cookie dough, especially after adding the dry ingredients. Vinegar ensures that you get extra tender cookies with a light crumb.
These are the two primary benefits of vinegar in cookie dough, but vinegar also helps temper the sweetness of the cookies. I don’t think it makes a huge difference in this area, but it definitely helps make tender cookies. If you’re a person who likes a taller chocolate chip cookie, then vinegar is the secret ingredient you need.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vinegar
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (142g packed)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (131g)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (113g)
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (92g)
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups Unbleached All- Purpose Flour (240g)
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips* (340g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Lightly grease, or line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla, vinegar, and baking soda. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the egg and beat until smooth.
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is mixed together.
- Mix in the flour by hand, or on low speed. Then add the chips and mix just until combined.
- Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4" balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between dough for cookies to spread.
- If you like a salty-sweet flavor, sprinkle a touch of sea salt atop the cookies before putting them in the oven.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are light brown and the tops are blonde.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet about 2-3 minutes until cookies have set enough to move to wire rack to continue cooling. Repeat with remaining dough and second cookie sheet.
- Store cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Notes
How to Make Cookies with Vinegar
This recipe for vinegar in chocolate chip cookies makes some of the best cookies. It’s really a classic recipe with equal parts white sugar and brown sugar. I use light brown sugar in my recipes, but you can use dark brown sugar if you prefer.
There is also equal parts butter and shortening in the wet ingredients. The combination of these two fats helps give the cookies the best combination of flavor and texture. The butter naturally gives the cookies a buttery flavor, while shortening gives the cookies crispy edges with a chewy center.
As I mentioned above, vinegar in chocolate chip cookies helps keep the cookies tender and make sure that the cookie dough is not overmixed. But to make sure, I also prefer to mix-in the dry ingredients by hand. By gently folding in all-purpose flour, the cookie dough will be more tender. If you want to stick with the stand mixer, keep it on low speed and mix just until combined.
Do you love your chocolate chip cookies to be loaded with lots of chocolate chips? I definitely do, so I bump up the amount of chocolate chips so that I get a cookie with melted chocolate in every bite. You can also add some chopped chocolate for added texture and variety. An additional 2/3-1/2 cup of chocolate is usually the best.
This cookie dough does not need to be refrigerated. However, refrigerating for 24-48 hours does add a deeper caramel flavor. It’s kind of like what you’d get from making brown butter chocolate chip cookies. Refrigerated cookie dough will take a couple of extra minutes to bake. And if you decide to make big bakery size cookies, use 1/3 cup scoops of cookie dough and bake for 13-14 minutes if the dough hasn’t been refrigerated and 17-18 if the dough was refrigerated.
For best results, pull the cookies from the oven when they still look under baked. And if you like a little extra touch of salt, you can add a pinch of sea salt or salt flakes to the top of the cookie dough before putting the baking tray in the oven. If you forget, you can also top them immediately after pulling from the oven.
If you’re someone who likes chewy cookies with a soft center and golden brown edges, then the next time you have a craving for cookies, you should give this vinegar in chocolate chip cookies recipe a try. It really does make some of the best chocolate chip cookies, and it’s such an easy recipe. Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy a chocolate-chip cookie with melty chocolate in every bite.
More of my favorite homemade chocolate chip cookies:
Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
ATK Chocolate Chip Cookie. The perfect cookie.
More of my favorite cookie recipes:
Scotcheroo Rice Krispie Treats
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