A Sprinkle Of Salt Takes Chocolate Chip Cookies To A Whole New Level
Chocolate chip cookies are a classic treat for a reason. The dough is so delicious that some people even make the cookies and omit the chocolate with a "boneless" version. The sweet chocolate chips, however, are the star of the show and the recipe's namesake. There are plenty of ways to upgrade your cookies by adding extra ingredients, making substitutions, or altering the way the treats are prepared. One addition on top, however, could make the cookies taste even better.
Most cookie recipes call for a little bit of salt mixed into the dough to offset the sweetness. But the next time you bake up your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, add a little bit extra on top to enhance the flavor of the cookies even more. A garnish of flaky sea salt on top of each of the treats could balance out the ultra-sweetness of the chocolate and add a little bit of texture to every bite.
Why does salt make the cookies taste better?
You'll want to prepare your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe as usual. Then, roll each dough ball out to form your cookies. Just before you slide the cookie tray into the oven, sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on top of each ball of dough. You can lightly press the salt in to ensure it sticks in the cookies. Then, bake the treats as you typically would, allow them to cool, and enjoy.
Salty and sweet flavors seem like total opposites, so putting the two together may initially seem counterintuitive. However, it turns out that the flavors actually complement each other well. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences proved that the presence of salt can actually enhance sweet flavors, making them just a little more indulgent. The salt triggers specific taste bud receptors that can appreciate the sweetness of the chocolate chips, adding a whole new world of flavor to every bite.
Add some more salt into your treats
If you want even more of a salty flavor in your cookies, try crushing up some pretzels and mixing them into your dough. The added salinity will enhance the taste of the sweet chocolate, while the texture of the pretzels will add some extra crunch to every bite. Or, if you're craving something just a little more savory with that same effect, try making some potato chip and chocolate chip cookies.
Salted caramel is another pretty popular sweet-and-salty combo. You can purchase bags of sea salt and caramel baking chips to mix into your dough before baking the cookies. Or, once your chocolate chip cookies have baked as usual and cooled down a little, try drizzling your perfect caramel sauce on top of each one before digging in.
The next time you bake up a batch of ultra-sweet chocolate chip cookies, try adding a little extra salt on top of each one — it may just make your treats taste even better.