BETA
The science of cookie sheets
Dark metal pans absorb more radiant heat, causing cookie bottoms to brown and burn quickly. Shiny, light-colored aluminum pans reflect heat, resulting in a more even, gentle bake, while silicone mats slow down heat transfer.
Chapter 1
The architecture of fat
Chapter 2
The sweet science of sugars
Chapter 3
Structure, flour, and the chill
Chapter 4
The physics of chocolate and heat
Ch 4 · The physics of chocolate and heat
alicecooks Science of Baking Cookies
Watch it spread, watch it spread, Butter melts at ninety-two!
alicecooks The material and color of your baking pan dramatically affect how heat is transferred to the dough.
Fun Fact
Cookie chip science: Chocolate chips hold their shape because they contain less fat and more soy lecithin, an emulsifier that raises their melting temperature during baking.
alicecooks Baking at 350°F vs 375°F alters the balance between the cookie's spread and its outer browning.
Glossary
melting point (noun)
The temperature at which a solid substance liquefies. In 1938, Ruth Wakefield used chopped chocolate bars, which melted easily due to their lower melting point.
The temperature at which a solid substance liquefies. In 1938, Ruth Wakefield used chopped chocolate bars, which melted easily due to their lower melting point.
Quiz
What is the physical result of baking chocolate chip cookies at a higher temperature like 375°F (190°C)?
Quiz
How does using a silicone baking mat affect the baking time of chocolate chip cookies?
Quiz
In which Massachusetts town was the Toll House Inn, where the chocolate chip cookie was invented, located?
Quiz
What was the original name of the chocolate chip cookie when Ruth Wakefield first published the recipe?
Quiz
Why do dark-colored baking sheets often burn the bottoms of chocolate chip cookies?
Quiz
Why do commercial chocolate chips hold their shape during cookie baking while chopped chocolate bars melt?
Quiz
In what year did Ruth Wakefield invent the chocolate chip cookie at the Toll House Inn?
Quiz
What deal did Ruth Wakefield make with Nestlé in 1939 for the rights to print her cookie recipe?