How To Make The Most Of Cookie Dough Mix-Ins According To A Pro

One of the best ways for bakers to get in the holiday spirit is to participate in a cookie exchange. Not only is this a great excuse to spend time with friends, and eat as many cookies as possible, it's also a great reason to experiment with new mix-ins for your dough. Whether you want to amp up store-bought cookies or impress guests with a unique creation of your own, Milk Bar's CEO Christina Tosi shared her cookie dough secrets with Chowhound — just in time for the McCormick Cookie Quest. Started in the spirit of the cookie exchange, this contest hopes to inspire bakers of all levels to get creative with their cookie recipes. 

For some mix-in inspiration, Tosi says that envisioning what you want in a batch of cookies is the first step to a winning bake. "Think about your cookie's flavor story — what's the personality, the name, the single bite vision you're going for? Use that as your guide," she said. From melty caramel chips to M&Ms and nuts that add crunch, each mix-in has a role, and the goal is to strike the perfect balance between them. "All mix-ins aren't created equal, they should make sense and level up to your vision," Tosi noted. If you don't know where to start, the expert baker and entrepreneur has a few suggestions to make your cookies taste more exciting. "Think fun mix-ins like chocolate chips, cereal, pretzels, dried fruits, crackers, sprinkles, and nuts," she said.

While some of these add-ins might be obvious, other ingredients might be less so. "Don't underestimate the underscoring flavor story of your cookie by leveraging a quality extract either," Tosi said. In terms of which extracts to pick, it depends on the dough, but you often can't go wrong with a classic option like vanilla. "Vanilla rounds out the baseline of nearly every classic baking flavor – Vanilla! Chocolate! Chocolate Chip! Peanut Butter! and beyond," Tosi said. It might be an expensive ingredient, but real vanilla extract is worth the price. Compared to imitation vanilla, it has deeper flavors both floral and sweet. From there, you can dip your toe into the wide world of other extracts that are available. "Unexpected choices like Orange, Lemon, Raspberry, [and] Yellow Cake can pack a punch," she said.

For inspiration, check out the recipe for the limited-edition Candy Cane Pretzel Bark Cookie created by Tosi and McCormick. The cookies feature a smattering of red sanding sugar and mini pretzels that create a delightfully crunchy texture, plus McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract and Peppermint Extract for a well-rounded taste. The recipe is available online, and the cookies will be for sale throughout December. Some select Milk Bar locations will even give away free samples on National Cookie Day. So, whatever you choose to add to your cookies, make it your own. (And if you're entering your recipe into the McCormick Cookie Quest contest, best of luck.)