Most days we just don't have the time to make cookie dough from scratch, right? So you go to the store and get one of those pre-made cookie dough tubes and make good-not-great cookies, right? What if we told you you could make that same tube dough taste AMAZING by following just a few tips?Keep reading to make cookies that have that homemade vibe. No one will even suspect they're store-bought (and we won't tell anyone!).
Add brown sugar
Adding it to the pre-made dough will give it more sweetness, a chewier texture, moisture and that homemade flavor you're craving.
You can also melt butter with brown sugar and incorporate it into the dough for extra tender, chewier cookies.
Experiment with extracts
Get rid of that processed aftertaste by adding fun extracts, like mint, almond or vanilla (aka us!) to switch things up!
Mix in different candies and snacks
How about throwing in some pretzels, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, nuts and pecans to add a medley of flavors?
Add espresso or coffee grounds
Coffee helps hide the artificial aftertaste of pre-made cookie dough. This contains caffeine, of course, so it's totally optional. Try it out and see if it sticks!
Deepen the flavors by refrigerating the dough
After adding all your upgrades, cover and put the dough in the fridge. Chill it in there overnight to allow the flavors to become enhanced.
Salt before baking the cookies
Sprinkle each cookie ball with salt before putting them in the oven! Flaky salt will do the trick.
Reduce baking time for extra soft cookies
Take the cookies out of the oven 2 minutes before the recipe´s recommended time. Let them cool and see how much softer they turn out.
We have a gift for you, click here and print this cute box design to keep your cookies in it!
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FAQs
Add spices: Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract can enhance the flavor of your cookies. Add chocolate chips or nuts: Adding chocolate chips or nuts can add a nice texture and flavor to your cookies.
How can I increase my cookie flavor? ›
Add spices: Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract can enhance the flavor of your cookies. Add chocolate chips or nuts: Adding chocolate chips or nuts can add a nice texture and flavor to your cookies.
Does chilling cookie dough make it taste better? ›
Over time, chilling cookie dough produces cookies with darker color and more pronounced flavor.
How do you salvage cookie dough? ›
First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This can be milk, water, or even just a little bit of extra oil. If that doesn't work, you can try kneading the dough for a few minutes to help it come together. Lastly, if all else fails, you can always add in a few tablespoons of flour to help bind the dough together.
Can I add peanut butter to store-bought sugar cookie mix? ›
Sugar cookie dough mix provides many dessert options. You can enjoy your sugar cookies plain, frost them or mix in an ingredient such as peanut butter, nuts or chocolate chips to change the flavor and texture.
What can I add to cookie dough to make it taste better? ›
You can upgrade your cookie dough by adding spices to it, said Tracy Wilk, lead chef at the Institute of Culinary Education. This can lead to a warm, spicy cookie. To do so, combine ground cinnamon, ginger, and sugar, and then roll your balls of cookie dough in the mix before baking.
Should refrigerated cookie dough be brought to room temperature before baking? ›
As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).
Does resting cookie dough make it taste better? ›
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.
What does chilling sugar cookie dough do? ›
Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.
What happens if you add milk to cookie dough? ›
Baking recipes have to be fairly precise for the best results; adding extra liquid in the form of milk to cookie dough could cause the baked cookies to spread, over-brown, and lose their shape. However, it's easy to add a tablespoon or two of milk powder to cookie batters without affecting the final texture.
Add in more of everything (minus the sugar).
A common complaint with store-bought dough is that it's too sweet, so some Food52.com commenters suggest adding in a little bit extra of all the ingredients, minus the sweetener. Add the pre-made dough to a mixer and add a few shakes of flour, salt, baking soda, butter, etc.
Can you over beat cookie dough? ›
"Overmixing your dough will result in flatter, crispier cookies," Cowan said. If you overmix, you will end up aerating (adding air to) the dough, which causes the cookies to rise and then fall, leaving you with flat cookies.
How to elevate Betty Crocker cookie mix? ›
Easy Add-In: After creating the dough according to the sugar cookie mix instructions, Add 2 tablespoons of sour cream to create a tangier, cakier and all-around more flavorful cookie. Flavor Twist: For a punchier twist, swap the water in the sugar cookie mix instructions for rum, bourbon or coffee liqueur.
What can you add to premade sugar cookie dough? ›
Take plain sugar cookies up a notch with exciting mix-ins like chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, toasted chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit or M&M's. Add these after blending your butter and egg into the sugar cookie mix. This is our favorite hack for holiday Pillsbury cookie dough.
How to make cookies more flavourful? ›
Add more complex proteins, like malted milk powder and brown butter. Caramelizing the sugar beforehand brings bright notes to your cookies, but you can further expand your dessert's flavor profile by playing with proteins.
What makes cookies taste better? ›
Butter is key for most cookies. Not only does it provide flavor, it's the main reason your cookies will spread. As the butter warms in the oven, the dough slackens and gradually spreads out over the baking sheet. It's important to mix your butter well to ensure it's evenly mixed throughout the dough.
Why do my cookies taste bland? ›
If the baked cookies taste a bit bland (and if the dough is fairly soft and receptive to additions), add salt and/or spices to the remaining dough before baking. If, on the other hand, they're a bit salty for your taste, try rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking.
What gives cookies flavor? ›
The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars, so along with the caramelizing sugar, proteins in the cookie begin to brown, producing a rich, nutty, toasted flavour. This is the same reaction that occurs in bread and seared steak.