After all the measuring, mixing, and stirring involved in making cookie dough, a taste of the “forbidden cookie dough” is a welcome reward for most bakers. And while plenty of us spent our childhood eating a slither of cookie dough at the end of a spoon, we never stopped hearing that pesky voice in the back of our head’s telling us it was wrong.
Is it wrong, though? Can you eat raw cookie dough?
Unfortunately, no, you cannot and should not eat raw cookie dough. Even a tiny amount can make you sick. The illness can come from two places. First, the eggs can carry salmonella poisoning. Secondly, the flour can be contaminated with E.coli. Don’t risk it!
Hey! My name’s Michelle and I’ll level with ya – I love cookie dough. I actually like the dough better than the cookies. However, I know that it’s very risky to eat it. That’s why I always buy or make edible cookie dough.
Want to know more about eating raw cookie dough? Keep reading!
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Is It Safe to Eat Raw Cookie Dough?
No, no, and more, no.
And I totally get it – cookie dough is unbelievably delicious. I also know that most of us have snuck a lick from our mom’s spoon after she finishes mixing the ingredients. That’s something we’ve carried into adulthood.
That doesn’t make it right, though.
In fact, you may have gotten sick from cookie dough and didn’t notice. That’s because illness can spring up several days after consuming raw cookie dough, so you may not have made the connection.
Why Can’t You Eat Raw Cookie Dough?
If your mom was anything like mine, she told you that cookie dough was dangerous to eat because of the eggs. (Although we were still rewarded with a nibble of the dough, of course).
Well, your mom wasn’t wrong. But that’s not the whole truth.
There are actually two prominent ingredients that can leave you with a bellyache (and more).
1. Eggs
Most people are aware that raw eggs can cause Salmonella poisoning.
Salmonella is a dangerous bacteria that, if ingested, can cause diarrhea, fever, chills, and
stomach pain. And with over a million cases yearly, it’s a credible threat – one of which can come from that delectable scoop of cookie dough.
2. Flour
Yet, eggs aren’t the only culprit of illness from raw cookie dough.
The surprising ingredient plenty of people don’t know can cause sickness is flour.
Flour has the ability to carry harmful germs such as E.coli (Escherichia coli). It comes from animals in wheat fields. Because the crop isn’t treated for these harmful components before being turned into flour, there’s a possibility that the flour you’re using is contaminated.
Of course, if you have a scoop of tempting cookie dough contaminated with E.coli, you won’t be too pleased. E.coli can cause a range of symptoms, the foremost ones being diarrhea and cramping.
How to Safely Eat Cookie Dough
Hearing that even one small bite of cookie dough can make you sick is devastating. After all, the silky smooth texture, delicious flavor, and nostalgic vibe of eating a spoonful of dough are unmatched.
But don’t think you have to say goodbye to those nibbles of cookie dough.
There are actually three easy ways to eat raw cookie dough safely.
1. Buy Edible Cookie Dough
People love raw cookie dough. It’s a fact.
Well, certain businesses decided to tap into the market of cookie dough fanatics, and we couldn’t be any happier.
Several companies – including Toll House – have created edible cookie dough that can be eaten straight out of the bag (or baked to create actual cookies). There’s even a scrumptious keto option on the market!
2. Eat Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Cookie dough ice cream is one of my favorite ice creams. Why? Because, well, there are edible cookie dough bites inside. Who wouldn’t like that?
If you haven’t had it already, I highly recommend trying a scoop of cookie dough ice cream. There are actual bite-sized pieces of cookie dough riddled throughout the ice cream, typically vanilla-flavored.
Sure, it’s not the same as eating a spoonful of raw cookie dough from the mixing bowl. But, with this option, you also get the perk of enjoying ice cream. That sounds like a win-win situation to me!
3. Make Edible Cookie Dough
The last option is to make your own edible cookie dough!
You’ll need to start with an eggless cookie dough recipe like this one.
But remember – the eggs aren’t the only thing to worry about when it comes to cookie dough. You have to do something about that flour, too.
The best way to make the flour safe is to heat treat it. You can do this in two ways:
- Bake two cups of flour spread out on a baking sheet for five minutes in a 350F oven, shaking the baking sheet every couple of minutes
- Place one cup of flour in the microwave and bake in 30-second intervals for up to two minutes, stirring after each break to avoid any hot spots
The goal is to get the flour to a temperature of 165F. The E.coli (and other potentially dangerous germs) are killed off at this temperature, leaving you with a safe batch of “raw” flour. And yes, flour is considered “raw,” even though it doesn’t look like other types of raw food items.
You can check the temperature of your flour by using a kitchen thermometer. Ensure the flour is completely cooled off before making your edible cookie dough.
FAQs
Nope, you can’t eat traditional raw cookie dough – not even a little bit. But you can eat specialty edible cookie dough, whether bought in the store or made at home. Oh, and here are a couple of additional frequently asked questions you might want to check out!
While it may come as a surprise, no amount of raw cookie dough is safe to eat. Just ask the CDC, who has created the “Say No To Raw Dough” campaign expressing the potential risk of eating a single bite of cookie dough.
Unless the package states otherwise no, you should not eat raw Nestle cookie dough. It must be baked into cookies before it is consumed.
That depends. Commercial “edible cookie doughs” are entirely safe to consume. Some recipes online may not be. It depends on the listed ingredients. If there are raw eggs, it is not safe to consume. If there is flour, it must be heat treated before consumption. You’re likely in the clear if there’s no flour or eggs.
Sorry, But Keep Raw Cookie Dough Away from Your Lips!
Eating a little nibble of cookie dough can be satisfying – until you’re rushing to the toilet with vomiting and diarrhea. What is the better option? Opt for store-bought edible cookie dough or cookie dough ice cream. Or, make edible cookie dough at home by leaving out the eggs and heat-treating the flour.
Do you eat cookie dough? Do you have any comments to add to this article? Share in the comment section below!
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