Cardamom and Tea

I developed this recipe because every edible cookie dough recipe I found uses a flour heat-treating method warned against by experts and the FDA. My edible cookie dough recipe uses a roux of hot butter and flour instead of using the microwave, oven, or dry-roasting in a pan.

As Dr. Yaohua Feng (a food safety researcher) pointed out in this article, ovens and microwaves lack the precision to ensure flour reaches an even, safe temperature to kill pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella. My roux method hits 300°F (more on that soon), evenly cooks the flour suspended in a hot liquid, and uses a centuries-old cooking technique.

I’d usually include a “jump to the recipe” link here, but it’s actually important that you read the whole post for this one so that you can decide for yourself.

Is this edible cookie dough actually safer than others?

I’m a recipe developer and cookbook author, not a food scientist. I can’t promise my recipe eliminates all risk. But here’s why I believe it’s a meaningful improvement, so you can make your own decision:

1. 300°F

Submerging flour in hot fat surrounds every flour particle with heat, rather than just hoping and praying that conduction heat will make its way evenly through a dry pile of flour.

In my kitchen testing, the roux’s temperature spends 5 minutes climbing from 200°F [93°C] to 300°F [149°C]— almost double the 160°F [71°C] threshold the FDA cites for killing pathogens. Stirring continuously means no part of the flour sits cold while the rest overheats.

2. Tradition

The method in this recipe is how cooks have been preparing flour for centuries. Béchamel, gravy, traditional flour halva, and stovetop mac and cheese all rely on the same basic technique of cooking flour in fat or fat-and-liquid before serving.

“Traditional” doesn’t necessarily equal “safe.” But I’m just saying: this isn’t just some weird method of cooking flour that I invented (like, say, zapping dry flour in a microwave). It’s one people have been using for a very long time.

Does this recipe actually taste good?

Ah okay, finally something I can speak to with authority and zero caveats: Does this cookie dough actually taste good? Yes. Yes it does. It has a nuttier flavor and slightly more rustic texture than regular cookie dough, but it is very good.

I know, you’re probably reading “mac and cheese” and “béchamel sauce” and thinking “how on earth could a roux make good cookie dough?!” The answer: a roux has 2 of the main ingredients in cookie dough: flour and butter. We’re just bringing the usual ingredients together a bit unconventionally.

Here are a few unique features of this recipe:

The milk solids in the butter start to brown by the end of the process, but this gives it a flavor very similar to brown butter cookie dough.
The flour also begins to lightly toast, which creates a different texture and flavor. The flavor is not an issue—it adds a nice nutty note to the dough. However, the texture is something to grapple with: on its own, it is slightly on the gritty side. But adding milk gives it a fluffier, doughier consistency. We’re going to add much more milk that we would if we were making a regular recipe for cookie dough. But this helps it stay soft in the fridge and gives it a doughy consistency that’s not too crumbly.
Also, to point out the obvious: do not bake this dough. It tastes like cookie dough, but structurally, it is very different and will not bake normally.

Is this recipe safe for me?

I haven’t had this method independently lab-tested. Of course, neither have the top 10 google results for edible cookie dough, which are all using methods that experts explicitly warn against (at least, at the time of this blog post’s publication).

So if you’re going to make edible cookie dough from ingredients you have in your pantry no matter what the FDA says, I do recommend using this method. But I can’t promise it is risk-free.

That being said, if you’re cooking for someone immunocompromised, pregnant, young, or elderly, the safest option is still flour that’s been commercially heat-treated and labeled as such (or just not eating cookie dough at all).

Edible Cookie Dough (a better method)

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Yield: about 1 lb cookie dough

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter [115g]
1/2 cup [65g] flour
1/3 cup [65g] granulated sugar
1/3 cup [65g] brown sugar
4 Tbsp [60g] milk (divided)
1 tsp [5g] vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup [80g] chocolate chips

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Instructions

Make sure you have all your ingredients ready before you start.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, keeping a close eye on it and gradually reducing the heat. It will start out very loud and after a few minutes will suddenly get a bit quieter.
Add the flour as soon as the butter becomes slightly quieter. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes over low heat, until it reaches 300°F [149°C] and you start to see a few golden brown flecks appearing in the mix.
Immediately remove from heat, add the sugars directly to the hot butter/flour, and stir together. Immediately stir in 3 Tbsp of the milk, the vanilla, and the salt.
Remove to a bowl and let cool in the refrigerator for just 30 minutes (set a timer).
Once it’s cool enough not to melt chocolate, check to see if it looks too dry and crumbly. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of milk if needed, breaking up any clumps. If it’s still too dry, you can add more milk, but do so very gradually one teaspoon at a time, stirring between each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Notes

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. For freezer storage, I recommend scooping into balls, freezing on a sheet pan, and then transferring to a plastic bag.

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I like to think of steamed kale as a much tastier version of raw kale. Anywhere you might use raw, steamed is probably a better bet. It blends more easily into green smoothies, it’s great alongside crunchier greens in a salad, and it’s perfect on its own when you just want some plain, well-prepared greens.

If you don’t own a steamer basket (and/or don’t feel like doing dishes!), don’t sweat it. I’ve got a tip for steaming kale without any special equipment. All you need to do is save those stems after stripping away the leaves. We’ll use them to cover the bottom of the bowl or saucepan, thereby lifting our leaves out of the water and keeping them from getting soggy.

Jump to the recipe to hit the ground running, or read on for a few important tips.

Steamed kale tips

1) Use enough salt and olive oil

Sure, steamed kale is plain. But it is not flavorless! Or at least, it shouldn’t be. Using enough salt is essential. Since the kale shrinks down, I like to salt after steaming. Just make sure you don’t hold back!

It’s also nice to drizzle on a bit of olive oil, but that depends on what you’re steaming it for. If it’s going into something super rich (like, a cheesy lasagna, for instance), you can hold off. But if you’re serving it as a veggie side, a drizzle goes a long way.

2) Do not overcook it

If we were making sautéed or roasted kale, we would be aiming for some browning and caramelization. With sautéed or roasted, we can sacrifice some green freshness for a bit of crunch and browning.

But the whole point of steamed kale is that it looks green and tastes fresh. It’s absolutely imperative that you don’t overcook it. Keep it bright green, and be sure not to veer into dull brownish-yellow territory.

3) If you add lemon, do so at the very last second.

It’s funny: with some ingredients, lemon prevents browning, and with other ingredients it speeds it up. Kale is unfortunately one of those ingredients that turns olive green from lemon juice. If you want that super bright green look, either avoid lemon altogether or add it at the table.

Again, with sautéed kale or roasted, I don’t really worry about this. Bright green isn’t really the goal there.

You’re welcome to add lemon to your kale at any point in any recipe. It’s just true that it will make it turn brown after a few minutes. You can use that information however you’d like.