Creative Cookie Hacks: How to Tailor Cookies to Your Own Taste

Pass the Mayo

Instead of using butter and eggs, use mayonnaise. You’ll have to do some experiment a little with quantities, but the resulting cookies may surprise you. They’ll be a bit crumbly, but also have an interesting flavor profile and if you don’t tell, your family will never know you used mayo!

Flour Power

Almost everyone uses all-purpose flour in their cookies. But this isn’t a fixed rule. You can switch out the all-purpose flour for other types of flour. For chewier cookies, use bread flour. For a gluten-free cookie, experiment with nut flours or coconut flour. Do you like a heavier cookie? Try whole-wheat flour.

Spice Hacks

Many cookie recipes are flavored by a single or blend of spices. You can easily change the flavor profile of a cookie by altering or even switching out the spices. For example, use cardamom instead of cinnamon in a cinnamon cookie recipe. Cardamom has a milder flavor and is what make Chai taste like Chai. Instead of making Gingersnaps, try making Allspice or Cloves-snaps. Since allspice and cloves are much stronger spices than ginger, you’ll need to reduce the amount you use.

A Note About Nut Butters 

Peanut butter cookies are a standard. But have you thought about making an almond butter cookie instead? How about a cashew butter cookie? Switching out the nut butter you use creates a whole new cookie! Be aware that each nut butter has a different oil content, so you’ll need to adjust the oil or butter you use to accommodate the additional or less oil in the nut butter.

Pudding in the Mix

Add some vanilla pudding to any cookie recipe and you’ll get a softer, moister cookie. Choose a flavored pudding mix to change the flavor profile. For example:

• Add lemon pudding mix to citrus-flavored cookies
• Add butterscotch pudding mix to chocolate chip cookies
• Add chocolate pudding mix to peanut butter cookies

The trick is to use a pudding mix flavor that goes well with the overall flavor of the cookie. You can use the pudding mix flavor to enhance or complement the flavors already in the cookie recipe.

Power-Packed Powders

I haven’t tried this myself, but I’ve heard that adding malted milk can infuse cookies with a nutty flavor. If you want to increase the coconut flavor, add in coconut cream powder. Peanut butter powder not only gives a cookie a nuttier flavor, but also pumps up the protein. And, of course, don’t forget cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist to your recipe.

Dip and Roll

Let’s say you’ve already baked your cookies – or have some store-bought cookies lying around. You can still apply some creative cookie hacks to make them your won. There are a variety of flavored melting wafers, as well as chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, and white chocolate chips available on the market. Melt them and dip your cookies in. For added flair, while the melted stuff is still melty, roll the cookie is something fun and festive. Here are some you can choose from:

• Sprinkles
• Jimmies
• Coconut flakes
• Chopped nuts
• Graham cracker (or other cookie) crumbs
• Sea salt
• Colored sugar