The Tip For The Tastiest Chocolate Chip Cookies Is All In The Pan

There are a lot of different ways to make chocolate chip cookies, and for some people, it's crucial to have just the right texture. Whether you like them underbaked and gooey or chunky and crisp, there's always a particular baking method that will get the job done so they turn out to your liking. For Minneapolis-based cookbook author Sarah Kieffer, the secret to achieving chocolate chip cookies with an eye-catching ripple effect is just a touch of kitchen violence — just a little.

Her recipe took over the internet around 2016, gracing food-centric Instagram feeds with the unusual-looking dessert as more and more bloggers and bakers tried it out for themselves. These "pan-banging" cookies even gained the attention of the New York Times, who described the chocolatey morsels to be "as wide as a salad plate and flat as a flounder." Despite their odd appearance, these ridged chocolate chip cookies are far from accidental, and can be recreated by lightly tapping your cookie sheet on the oven rack or counter mid-bake. Kieffer's method is unique in that she taps the pan every few minutes instead of just once, allowing the air inside the cookies to escape and the dough to spread out.

Using this deflating technique will score you those nice waves of texture, prevent the cookies from becoming too dense, and reveal a gooey center. However, there are a few important tips the author shares that will make all the difference for your crispy, pan-banging creation.

In Sarah Kieffer's book, "100 Cookies," there's an entire chapter on this style of rippled cookies, and it's packed with tons of insight into the finer details that go into this bake. According to her, the ingredients make a big difference in the final product. For instance, using Gold Medal unbleached flour works better than strong flour when creating the cookie's signature wrinkles. Additionally, chocolate chips will not spread as evenly as chopped chocolate from brands like Ghirardelli or Trader Joe's baking bars. The same anti-rippling effect will occur when you add too many extra ingredients like nuts or caramel. Ensuring the batter is fully mixed will keep your cookies golden instead of burning underneath.

Thankfully, this sweet tooth-satisfying cookie recipe is pretty straightforward and simple. Kieffer advises using a mixer to get your butter to peak creaminess before incorporating the granulated and brown sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, dry ingredients, and water to mix evenly before portioning out the dough. Each chocolate chip-filled ball should be ⅓ cup before you chill the dough in the freezer, which is an un-skippable step if the right texture is your goal. After baking for 10 minutes on a pan lined with aluminum foil, the pan-banging may commence, which you'll do in two minute intervals until your cookies have baked for 16-18 minutes. Now you, too, can enjoy these thin and crinkly cookies instead of scrolling past them with an envious sigh.