What makes chewy cookies chewy?

Question

Is the sugar type (brown vs. white), the fat type (butter vs. margarine vs shortening) or something else the cause of differences between them? I want to make cookies that, like, say, Mrs. Fields' store cookies, bake soft, and stay that way. I'm wondering what the chemistry is that goes on to make cookies cook soft or hard. Thanks!

Answer 1

White sugar makes a cookie crisp. Brown sugar makes it chewy and moist. Eggs make it spongy (if too many) and hold things together. If you trade out the butter in a recipe for applesauce instead, it makes a chewy cookie but because there's no fat in it, the cookie becomes tough so the butter keeps the cookies from becoming tough once they are done.

Answer 2

The absolute best chewy/super soft/moist cookie you will ever taste. I think the secret is the small amount of water and molasses and the fact that they are baked at 375 degrees instead of the usual 350, but it is important to watch them and make sure they don't get overbaked. These stay soft for days! Supposedly it's a Keebler recipe, it's so good so I wouldn't be surprised at all!

Keebler Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp water
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
3 oz mini chocolate chips (but I always add A LOT more!)
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter, egg, molasses, vanilla, and water. In a separate bowl, sift together the sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Gradually combine the dry ingredients into the moist ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips just until incorporated throughout. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, watch carefully! They should be just golden around the edges.

Answer 3

i have an awesome cookie recipie..

1cup butter softened
2-1/4cup flour
3/4cup brown sugar
1/2cup white sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 package vanilla instant pudding
1 package chocolate chips

mix it together and cook them at 375 for 8-10 min. i think the pudding makes them really chewy and they stay like that