Most everyone loves a freshly baked cookie, but it’s not always feasible to bake cookies from scratch. If you are leery of using store-bought cookie dough, do know that there are ways to improve its flavor and texture and end up with a tasty cookie that everyone will love. Here’s how to make store-bought cookie dough better.
How to Make Store-Bought Cookie Dough Better
Add Ingredients
The biggest problem with store-bought anything is that you cannot control the amounts of ingredients. But one easy way to improve store-bought cookie dough is by adding more ingredients.
Now, you probably don’t want to add a bunch of sugar, flour, eggs, or anything else that might change the chemical composition of the cookie while baking, but you can add ingredients that simply enhance the taste, like vanilla extract, cocoa powder, or fun ingredients like chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or sprinkles.
Any of these can be added on top of the cookie before baking or thrown into the dough, depending on the type of cookie dough you are using.
Make a Cookie Skillet
Just because you are using something store-bought with instructions does not mean you need to follow the instructions as written. Don’t be afraid to branch out and do something with your store-bought cookie dough that isn’t listed on the package.
One fun way to improve the taste of your store-bought cookie dough is by making a cookie skillet. Simply put the cookie dough in your cast-iron skillet and cook over medium heat until the dough has cooked all the way through, or put it in the oven. You can easily add ingredients to this, too, and make a delicious cookie dessert full of flavor and interesting texture.
Make Cookie Sandwiches
If you want to follow the cookie recipe as written but still doctor it up a bit, try making cookie sandwiches with your baked cookies. This is an easy way to add flavor so that you’re not stuck with a lifeless store-bought cookie.
You can sandwich just about anything in between two cookies. Frosting, ice cream, peanut butter, fudge, jam, and more are all delicious options that will add a fresh and welcome bite to your store-bought cookie dough. Depending on what you’re using, make sure to let the cookies cool completely before adding any sandwich filling.
Top with Sprinkles
Just as you shouldn’t be afraid to add ingredients, don’t be afraid to simply top your store-bought cookie dough with a new ingredient. One super simple way is by adding sprinkles.
Store-bought cookie dough often looks bland, but with a simple addition of sprinkles, it will breathe new life into the dough and leave you with a much more appealing cookie. And as we all know, the prettier it is, the better it tastes. We can’t explain the science behind that one, but we know it to be true from experience.
Frost Them
Never underestimate the power of frosting. If you have store-bought cookies that need a little enhancement, call upon a frosting to do that for you. And know that you don’t have to make the frosting yourself. If you want to stay in the store-bought realm, dozens of store-bought frosting options will be just as satisfying as a homemade version – and a lot less work.
Eat it Frozen
Who says you have to bake your store-bought cookie dough? Sure, most people would probably say that but don’t listen to them. Store-bought cookie dough tastes great frozen or chilled.
Of course, you can’t do this all the time because there may be some ingredients that are not safe to consume raw (at least in copious amounts), but a couple of bites here and there won’t hurt you, and depending on the dough, it might taste way better frozen or chilled than it does baked.
If you want to save yourself the trouble of making cookies, just keep them available in the freezer or fridge as a snack.
Bake in the Air Fryer
Always look for new ways to cook. Yes, the tried-and-true methods are just that – tried and true. But to add some intrigue to whatever you are cooking or baking, try a new method.
An air fryer is just a small convection oven, and convection ovens are great for baking. Heat circulates in a convection oven, giving a different texture to whatever confection you are concocting. To give your store-bought cookie dough some much-needed crispiness, bake them in the air fryer for a delicious texture on both the outside and inside.
Combine Doughs
Combining dough is one of the greatest ways to make your store-bought cookie dough just a bit better.
Now, you don’t need to combine dough just for the sake of combining, but mixing peanut butter cookie dough with brownie cookie dough to make a peanut butter brownie cookie will instantly add some intrigue to your bite.
You can combine these in a skillet or in individual cookies. Either way, you’ll be left with a totally tasty and inventive dessert.
Drizzle with Sauce
Once they’re baked, there are 1,000 different ways that you can improve the taste of store-bought cookie dough, but one is by drizzling some sauce. Chocolate, strawberry, caramel, marshmallow, anything you can think of. If it can be drizzled, drizzle it on your store-bought cookie dough and taste the magic that it brings.
Not only will you have a new flavor, but you’ll also have a renewed warmth and richness, which is always welcome in a baked good.
Serve with Ice Cream
Again, once your store-bought cookie dough is baked, there are endless opportunities for improving the flavor. And a staple to making any baked good better is simply adding ice cream.
Along with ice cream, you can add all the toppings, sauces, and extra ingredients that you want, but serving a store-bought cookie with ice cream is enough to make even the most discerning eaters happy. No one will question where you purchased your dough if they are busy snacking on ice cream.
