COOKIES
OUTLINE:
Final Idea + Recipe:
DONUT COOKIE
- Explanation/Inspiration: This cookie is a combination of two desserts: chocolate donuts and chocolate chip cookies. From the exterior, this cookie appears as if it is only a donut, but when one bites into it, he/she will find the inside is actually a chocolate chip cookie. I chose this idea because I could not find anything like it, and I thought it would be interesting to attempt creating a type of cookie that has an unusual shape, texture, and composition.


- Recipe:
Donut Dough:
1 & 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cookie Dough:
1 & 1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Step 1 — Make Cookie Dough: In large bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, and butter. After creamy, add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Incorporate flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Lastly, fold in chocolate chips.
Step 2 — Make Donut Dough: In medium bowl, mix together buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, and egg. Blend together. Then, add in flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix well. Dough should be sticky.
Step 3 — Make Shape of Donut: On floured surface, flatten a 5 inch by 1 inch piece of donut dough. Roll a 5 inch by 1/2 inch strip of cookie dough, and lay this in the middle of the donut dough. Fold the donut dough around the cookie dough to make a log shape. Then, fold both ends of the dough together in order to make a donut shape. Repeat until no dough is left.
Step 4 — Bake the Cookie Donut: Bake donuts in oven at 350 degrees F for 9–10 minutes, until cooked mostly through.
Idea Generation:
- Explanation/Inspiration: As an intermediate baker, I decided to experiment with different ways cookies could be shaped, layered, or eaten. In order to brainstorm cookie ideas, I began by considering how different desserts could be combined with an ordinary cookie (ex: donut, waffle, cake, etc). I also considered flavor ideas that were interesting, but still would taste good (ex: lime and coconut, peach and graham cracker, chocolate and cherry candy). Finally, I tried to imagine how I could make my cookie even more unique by including components like a hard outer candy shell or rock candy. The ten ideas I formulated all resulted from this thought process.
- Ten Cookie Ideas:




Idea Test 1:
DONUT COOKIE
- Step-by-Step Photographs:






- Explanation/Findings: When testing this idea, I found that it was much more difficult to put together the donut shape than I originally thought. The donut dough was very sticky, which made it difficult to shape around the cookie dough. From this, I learned I should probably make more attempts or do more research before trying something so unique. I decided to edit the recipe by adding different proportions of ingredients later, and changing the shape as well.
Idea Test 2:
PRETZEL COOKIE
- Step-by-Step Photographs:




- Explanation/Findings: I decided to choose this idea because creating chocolate chip cookies was familiar to me, but I wanted to try something different with the shape and recipe. When testing this idea, I learned that the texture may not have have been adjusted accordingly in order to make the cookie as puffy as I was hoping so it would resemble a pretzel. I also did research and learned that an ingredient such as cornstarch or adding more flour may have thickened the consistency and prevented the dough from spreading out. Modifying the recipe in this manner may produce a better result.
Iteration:
- Explanation: After my first attempt at baking the donut cookie, I was a little frustrated that the consistency and process of creation did not turn out as well as I had hoped. Because of this, I decided to try changing the donut shape with some cookies while changing the size with another group of cookies. I ended up being the most happy with the smaller sized donut-shaped cookie, and I decided to use these as my final product to present to the class.
- Changes Made/Results: Photos of results of iterations are shown below. I decided to choose the second iteration as my final recipe.




TIMELINE:
- Wednesday, 9/5/18 — Complete blog post with timeline and outline, and begin finalizing idea of cookie to be baked/presented
- Thursday, 9/6/18 — Research 2 different necessary recipes, create list of potential needed ingredients, then buy these ingredients in order to be prepared for trial-and-error baking
- Friday, 9/7/18 — Make first few attempts at constructing the ideal cookie. Allow roommates and friends to observe and taste baked cookies, then record their input
- Saturday, 9/8/18 — Make changes to recipe or try different iterations based on what roommates, friends, and I think about the first attempted cookies
- Sunday, 9/9/18 — Take time to compile all information, recipes, and iterations into the same area and upload any photos of baking process digitally
- Monday, 9/10/18 — Finalize recipe and bake a small batch to ensure the recipe written down is accurate, working well, and tasty
- Tuesday, 9/11/18 — Bake full batch of cookies to bring to class the next day and record all final information in blog, then post blog
- Wednesday, 9/12/18 — Ensure cookies are packaged properly, then bring required amount of cookies to class in order to share them and obtain critique from classmates and professor