How To Make Your Cookies More Spread Out, According To Christina Tosi - Exclusive
When in need of cookie advice, turn to the woman who made an entire cookbook about the treat. Christina Tosi, the creator of the New York City-based bakery Milk Bar, exudes no shortage of creativity when it comes to Instagram-worthy desserts. During an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, the cookbook author did a deep dive into her newly published "All About Cookies," which — to no one's surprise — is all about cookies. But they're not your average sweets.
Tosi shared that the most outlandish recipes are included in the "snap" chapter, which highlights a layered cake in cookie form. The same creativity can be found in her bakery as well: Milk Bar offers everything from birthday cakes to a holiday peppermint bark tie-dye pie, thanks to the brand's new collaboration with Fruit of the Loom. During our conversation, Tosi so gracefully disclosed her best baking hacks, such as differentiating types of vanilla extract (a light brown sugar recipe calls for dark vanilla extract, while a lighter recipe calls for a clear vanilla extract). The chef even revealed how to make a tasty cookie more spread out.
Use baking soda mixed with some type of acid
Let's paint a scene for a moment: You are soon hosting a party that calls for chocolate chip cookies, but every time you pull them out of the oven, they are much too thick. What's the solution? According to Christina Tosi, it's baking soda mixed with buttermilk or lemon juice. "If your chocolate chip cookie is super tight and isn't spreading the way that you want it to, checking the recipe and adding a little bit of baking soda will help give your cookie more spread than lift," the James Beard Award-winner explained.
Tosi noted that adding any type of acid combined with baking soda would work, such as lemon zest, citric acid, or the unexpected option — cocoa powder. This simple baking trick ensures that "[You're] bringing the flour down a little bit" for a "nice, thin spread." Tosi added that this is more of a "troubleshooting" tip in order to prevent any faults in your next batch. Cookies can be a tricky food, especially if you are not a pro like Tosi, so try out her advice if your cookies aren't coming out the way you want.
You can purchase from the Milk Bar x Fruit of the Loom collab on the Milk Bar website. Check out Christina Tosi's Instagram page to keep up with her latest baking projects.