Effect of Fat Type and Physical State on Chocolate Chip Cookie Characteristics

Background/Justification
Even with planning ahead, days as a college student are diverse and chaotic. The
decision to make a batch of cookies usually comes in the moment, thus it is highly unlikely
the butter has been set out to soften at room temperature. This raises
the question whether the type and physical state of fat affects the outcome of chocolate
chip cookies. The basis of this project is to determine whether the type and physical state of
fat plays a role in the overall taste, texture, color, and tenderness of chocolate chip cookies.

Project Objective
Investigate how the type and physical state of fat affects the overall sensory and
physical characteristics of chocolate chip cookies.

Approach
In Foods Experimental Perspectives, Margaret McWilliams states that fat
provides significant texture, shape, and color to cookies (457). She also mentions that
butter contributes to flavor. Due to butter's low melting point, cookies will spread when
baked (457). When fat is melted the texture of the cookie is compromised due to the fact
that air pockets are not formed when creaming the solid shortening (457).
Hypothesis: The type and physical state of fat plays a role in overall taste, texture, color,
and tenderness of chocolate chip cookies.
Independent/Dependent Variables: The independent variables will be butter and
margarine both at room temperature and melted in the microwave. The dependent
variables will be the overall taste, texture, color, and tenderness of the chocolate chip
cookie. Extraneous variables include over/under measurement of ingredients. To minimize
this the measurement of all ingredients will be done at the same time with the same
utensils. The ingredients will also be weighed to ensure equal quantities. Another
extraneous variable is the temperature of the oven. To eliminate this concern the cookies
will be dispersed onto one cookie sheet. This will allow all batches to be cooked
at equal time and temperature.
Methods:
1. To conduct the experiment Western Family Unsalted Butter will be used as well
as the least costly margarine at Broulim’s. The remaining ingredients will also be
purchased at Broulim’s.
2. Two batches of the cookie dough will be made (see batch recipe below) at the same
time to minimize error. Each batch will be divided in half. One batch will have the
unsalted butter at room temperature and melted in the microwave. The second batch
will have the margarine at room temperature, and melted in the
microwave. All remaining ingredients will be measured and mixed in according to the
recipe’s directions.

Recipe: Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients

 2 cups all-purpose flour
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 3/4 cup unsalted butter (either solid at room temperature ormelted)
 1 cup packed brown sugar
 
 1/2 cup white sugar
 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
 1 egg
 1 egg yolk
 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with
parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the fat (solid or melted), brown sugar and white
sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy.
Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using
a wooden spoon.
4. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies
should be about 3 inches apart. I will place three dough balls from each batch onto a
cookie sheet, making a total of 16 cookies. I will mark with in foil which batch is which. I
will then cook them in the oven. I will repeat the process with the remaining cookie
dough. In the end I will have 13 cookies of each half batch.
5. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly
toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to
cool completely.

Cookie Testing
Once the cookies are baked and cooled the evaluation will occur. The cookies will be cut in
half and placed onto a napkin for the sensory panel. The sensory panel will have 12 people.
At each place setting there will be a glass of water. The questionnaires will be
distributed to each participant.

Once the sensory panel is concluded, objective testing will begin. A shortometer will be
used to measure the tenderness of each cookie, the diameter and height of each cookie will
also be measured with a ruler.
Ingredients/Supplies Brand (if important) Quantity Needed
Panelists BYU-Idaho Students 12
Napkins N/A 48
Plastic Cups N/A 12

After all of this will be compiled anazlyed in Microsoft Excel to see if the type and physical
state of fat plays a role in taste, texture, color and tenderness of chocolate chip cookies.
Ingredients/Supplies

Ingredients/Supplies Brand (if important) Quantity Needed

Flour N/A 4 cups
Baking Soda N/A 1 tsp.
Salt N/A 1 tsp.
Unsalted Butter Western Family 1.5 cups
Margarine Least costly atBroulim’s 1.5 cups
Brown Sugar N/A 2 cups
White Sugar N/A 1 cup
Vanilla Extract N/A 2tbsp
Egg N/A 4
Semisweet chocolate chips Least costly atBroulim’s 3 cups

Facilities/Equipment
Facilities and equipment needed for this research project include; oven, microwave,
kitchen aid, 3 cookie sheets, shortometer

References

McWilliams, Margaret. Foods: Experimental Perspectives. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 2001. Print.