How Cornstarch Acts Like A Magical Ingredient In Cookies

Some like their cookies crunchy, others like them soft and chewy. If you are in the soft and chewy camp, you're going to want to listen up. That's because there's a near-magical ingredient that you should always be using to achieve tender, soft, and chewy cookies: cornstarch. Some might think mixing in more butter or an extra dose sugar will give cookies a pillowy-like texture but in reality cornstarch is the simple ingredient that does the trick better than anything else.

Cornstarch is most commonly used as a thickener when combined with a liquid to create a slurry then added ton soups or sauces. It can even be used to make roasted vegetables nice and crispy. But who knew it would be the secret weapon when making the best batch of chewy cookies ever? The reason cornstarch works in baked goods is simple. When cornstarch is mixed with another flour, it helps soften the mix by reducing the overall protein content in the bowl. Essentially this means there will be less gluten by volume, resulting in a softer cookie. Additionally, cornstarch acts almost like a sponge, meaning it can absorb and better hold on to some of the liquid in the dough, which can help give cookies an especially tender structure.

The good news with this technique you don't need to use a lot of cornstarch in order to taste and feel a difference in your favorite cookie recipe. Adding a teaspoon or two to your dry ingredient mix will likely be all you need to give you the soft-baked texture and feel that you so desire. Try experimenting and finding the perfect ratio that works for you. Hot tip: sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and shortbread cookies all benefit from mixing cornstarch into the recipe. Cornstarch in sugar cookies will also help maintain their structural integrity, making them ideal for cutting out and giving the results more defined edges. For chocolate chip cookies, cornstarch will give them a thicker look and feel (hello, Levain-style cookies) and using cornstarch in shortbread will result in the perfect crumbly and buttery soft texture.

Beyond just using ingredients, there are techniques to achieving the perfect cookie texture. While cornstarch provides a cakey, soft texture, banging your sheet pan can also lead to better textured cookies. This technique will deliver crispy on the outside yet soft and cakey on the inside. So paired with cornstarch, you'll always have the best cookies in town. Using cake flour can also be an ingredient that will help you get soft and chewy cookies.