I just learned that butter temperature changes the WHOLE texture of cookies, and I'm shocked

I follow this baking science account on Instagram and they had a post about how butter at 68 degrees vs 72 degrees makes cookies spread way different. I always just left mine on the counter for 'a while' and called it good. Tried it last weekend with exact temp and my cookies came out perfect, not flat. Who knew a few degrees mattered that much? Has anyone else found a random fact that totally changed their baking?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant90118d ago

Honestly, that "a while" thing is exactly what I used to do too. But the 68 vs 72 degrees thing really is wild when you think about it. I'd add that even the type of butter matters a lot more than people realize. Like, European style butter has more fat so it spreads less, and American butter has more water so it spreads more. So if you're using cheap butter and leaving it out soft, your cookies are basically doomed from the start. Ngl, I switched to weighing my butter and checking temp with a little instant read thermometer and it made a way bigger difference than I expected.

julia_hayes18d ago

Grant901 nailed it with the butter type thing, that water content really does mess with spread. I gave up on guessing and just eyeball it with my instant read now, aiming for that 68 degree sweet spot where it gives a little but doesn't feel greasy. Switching to weighed ingredients and checking that temp took my cookies from sad frisbees to actual bakery quality.