Hopefully everyone has had a chocolate chip cookie before, and if you haven’t, it’s a cookie with chocolate chips in it. Big shocker. The superiority of chocolate chip cookies has proven itself time and time again by not only being the official state cookie of Massachusetts, but by also having its own national day on August 4. However, not all chocolate chip cookies were born or made equal, as the ratio of ingredients and the cookies bake-time and temperature determine a major factor of the cookie: the texture. Some are soft and chewy while others are crunchier with more of a snap when you bite into them. There’s also the so-called “perfect cookie” which has a crunchy outside and a softer inside, but for the sake of my argument I’ll only be evaluating the two opposite ends of the cookie spectrum and explain why the crunchy end is better.
First, we must define the definition of crunchy chocolate chip cookies to make sure everyone is on the same page. When I refer to a crunchy cookie, I’m talking about one that is past the golden cookie ratio but not quite at Chips Ahoy! level. The outside is crispy and buttery, the inside is crunchy (but not so hard that it breaks your teeth to bite into it), and of course, it has a nice snap when you break it in half or bite into it. Now that we’ve clarified what it means for a cookie to be crunchy, I can start my defense on why crunchy is the superior end of the chocolate chip spectrum.
As much as I also enjoy soft and chewy cookies, crunchy cookies offer a much more satisfying bite to chew. I like hearing the snap of the cookie and how it doesn’t clump up as much as a chewy cookie in your mouth. Sometimes I’ve found that chewy cookies end up a little too soft, and can get mushy in your mouth, which is a generally unpleasant feeling when eating. The firmness of a crunchy cookie also makes it a better dipper for milk, coffee or whatever your choice of drink is to pair with the cookie. The crunchiness of the cookie helps keep its structural integrity better, allowing for it to dip more times or for longer without just breaking off, and you’re spared of the heartbreak that comes with seeing a big chunk of your cookie break off and sink into the abyss of your cup, not to be seen again until you’ve finished your drink. Maybe you don’t enjoy dipping your cookies, well, crunchy cookies also pair better with things like ice cream or other softer desserts. They create better textural variety with a lot of American desserts and allow you to experience more textures in one bite. And the best part? If you really hate the firmness, you can always soften it up a bit, whereas your only option with chewy cookies for any extra crunch is to let it become stale after it’s been baked, and most people don’t really like stale cookies all that much.
All in all, cookie texture is not something that significantly impacts our lives, but sometimes it’s the small things that count. And besides, if you don’t like crunchy cookies, it just leaves more for me and my fellow crunchy enthusiasts.