Here Are Before-And-Afters Of 7 Cookie Hacks

The results: For someone with strong perfectionist tendencies, I was deeply satisfied with this tip that helped me get perfectly round cookies. It wasn't even hard to get the cookies out of the tins. I just banged the pan on a hard surface, and the cookies easily popped out. Next time, I'd try scooping even larger portions so that the edges get even thicker and their insides softer.

The idea: Add a serving of pudding mix (I used about a third of a cup for a dozen cookies) to your recipe for softer, moister, and chewier cookies.

Did it work? Heck yes! They weren't necessarily chewy, but these turned super moist and tender and were a crowd favorite. ☝️

The idea: Typically, cookie recipes call for 2 parts brown sugar to 1 part of white sugar. In this hack, I use a recipe in which the ratio is reversed, which in theory should lead to thinner, crisper cookies.

Did it work? Nah.

The idea: Use mayonnaise — which is primarily made with oil, eggs, and vinegar — in place of the usual butter and eggs that go into every cookie recipe.

Did it work? Yes! And even though my cookies were crumbly, I'm going to pocket this recipe and will definitely be using it again in the future.

The results: Let me start by saying that I LOVE mayonnaise (haters, be gone!!). I am the kind of person who doesn't consider a sandwich complete without a thick shmear of mayo, who will lick the mayo off a knife like it's Nutella, and who always keeps a jar stocked in the fridge. So, even though this six-ingredient mayonnaise cookie recipe resulted in slightly crumbly cookies, this trick is one I'll remember for whenever I'm craving cookies but find myself out of butter and/or eggs. Also, it's important to note that while these didn't smell of mayo at all, the substitution did significantly change the texture so you should avoid this hack if you're attached to your tender and cakey treats.

The idea: This trick comes to us courtesy of Alton Brown, who uses bread flour instead of AP flour, as well as an especially high brown sugar to white sugar ratio, to make extra chewy cookies.

Did it work? Yes, though you wouldn't think so from the picture!

The idea: Add malted milk powder to your chocolate chip cookie recipe for cookies that are slightly nutty, chewy, and have an extra depth of flavor.

Did it work? Oh yeah.

The result: The change in flavor wasn't drastic, but this batch of cookies definitely offered an extra chewiness and smelled especially amazing, sort of like how a batch of walnut-studded chocolate chip cookies would smell, but without the actual nuts. They also were a tiny bit darker even though they were baked for the same amount of time.

The idea: OK, this one is kind of lame. But who hasn't burned a cookie before? Apparently, all you have to do to save a burnt cookie is grate the bottom until you've gotten rid of the blackened parts.

Did it work? LOL, not really 🙃

The results: The hack itself was very straightforward and easy — you literally just have to grate the bottom of a cookie. But even once the blackened parts were gone, the burnt taste lingered and the cookies were still overly crispy. I think the only way to save burnt cookies is to not burn them in the first place.

You can read through the rest of the baking hacks we've tried here.