Despite the number of times people are told to never eat raw cookie dough, they’re going to do it anyway. I get it. I’ve been there too — if “there” is a late-night craving for chocolate chip cookies, a lack of patience to actually bake them, a spoon, and a tub of edible cookie dough.
So when the Internet stepped up and gave us so-called edible cookie dough, it was understandably an exciting time to be alive. Taking out the raw eggs did cut down the risk of getting sick from salmonella, but don’t think that your sins are forgiven the second you search Pinterest for an eggless cookie dough recipe. There’s another raw ingredient that can cause major health problems.
The Culprit? Raw Flour
The media may not hype up the dangers as much as they do for raw eggs, but raw flour should be avoided at all costs. This baking staple can be contaminated with all kinds of bacteria, according to CBS. E. coli? Um, no thank you.
According to Leslie Smoot, Ph.D., a senior advisor in FDA’s Office of Food Safety, contamination occurs when animal waste comes into contact with growing grain: “Flour is derived from a grain that comes directly from the field and typically is not treated to kill bacteria.”
In 2016, General Mills recalled 10 million pounds of flour due to possible E. coli contamination after people reported falling ill after eating raw cookie dough.
But Don’t Go Throw Out All Your Flour
Luckily, the writer of a food and lifestyle blog called Sprinkle Some Fun has found a safe and delicious way to make edible cookie dough. The trick is to microwave the flour until it reaches 160°F, effectively killing off problematic bacteria. If you don’t have a thermometer, a good rule of thumb is to microwave for 1 minute and 15 seconds on high, stirring after 15 second intervals. Then go on with the recipe without worry!
Too Lazy to Make Your Own?
Edible cookie dough is really damn trendy. If you need proof, a Manhattan cookie dough shop called DŌ has been blowing up on social media — and for good reason. All of their products are made from heat-treated, ready-to-eat flour. For the truly obsessed, DŌ serves its 16 flavors of dough by the scoop. For the more traditional, they offer ice cream sandwiches and a variety of baked goods.
If you can’t make it to brick-and-mortar store, you’re out of luck for now. DŌ has temporarily shut down online orders because of the overwhelming amount of business they’ve received. Good for them, but bad for college kids who need edible cookie dough delivered to their dorms.
The future is here, ladies and gentlemen. Have your cookie dough and eat it too.