Is eating raw cookie dough really that bad for you? We all find ourselves tempted to take a bite of uncooked cookie dough while waiting for the batch in the oven to finish, but here’s why you should resist!
Many of us are guilty of eating raw cookie dough from time to time while baking–I know I have! It can be hard to resist sneaking a bite or licking the mixing bowl clean. So if you’re like me, you’re probably wondering: is uncooked cookie dough safe to consume?
Can I Eat Raw Cookie Dough?
The short (and very important) answer is: NO. According to the CDC, FDA, and everyone else who would know, it is not considered safe to eat raw cookie dough. I’ll tell you more about why in a minute.
Most of us probably already know that it’s not recommended, and might eat a small amount of raw dough anyway. It seems harmless when it’s just one bite, but it can actually make you sick.
Luckily I few have ways around that problem, so that we can all safely indulge our raw cookie dough desires.
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What Happens if You Eat Raw Cookie Dough?
You’ve probably had a few bites of uncooked dough before without anything happening. But the reality is that it can make you very sick. You might just end up with a bad stomach the rest of the day, or it could become much worse if you contract something like salmonella or e. Coli. These bacteria can cause severe stomach pain, diarrhea, dehydration, and fever.
What Ingredients Cause This?
Typical cookie dough recipes contain two ingredients that make it unsafe to consume before cooking: flour and eggs.
Most of you probably already know that raw eggs aren’t safe to eat, so anything that contains eggs should be fully cooked before consuming. However, flour is also a concern when it comes to eating raw cookie dough.
Yes, flour is a raw ingredient. When you get a bag of it at the store, you’ll notice a label/warning to cook it before consuming. This means that if you start dipping into the uncooked dough, that raw flour you used becomes a risk.
How Can I Make Cookie Dough Safe to Eat?
Firstly, you can of course bake the dough, and the cooking will remove any possible bacteria present in the eggs or flour. But since we really like the taste and texture of uncooked cookie dough around here, don’t worry. There are some options!
- You can make edible cookie dough recipes (more on those later).
- Buy pasteurized eggs and heat-treated flour, which are safe to consume.
- You can also heat-treat flour at home before making your homemade cookie dough.
- Leave out the eggs (in addition to using treated flour) to make raw dough that’s safe to eat.
- Some alternative flours, like almond flour and oat flour, are considered safe to consume raw. Just note that they may alter the texture of a recipe that calls for all-purpose flour.
- Some brands, like Pillsbury, have started selling ready-made cookie dough that is safe to consume before cooking. Look for it in your local grocery store.
What is Heat-treated Flour?
Flour that has been heat-treated simply means that it has been heated/cooked to a safe temperature. This makes it safe to consume, even if it hasn’t been cooked or baked into another dessert recipe yet.
You might be able to find this at the supermarket (it should be clearly labeled), and it’s definitely available at specialty stores and online. But I also have a recipe to make heat-treated flour at home.
What are Pasteurized Eggs?
Pasteurized eggs are eggs that have been carefully heated (while still in their shells) to a temperature that kills off any bacteria. This makes them safe to consume raw.
They are great for making edible cookie dough, no-bake desserts, and any other recipe that might require uncooked or undercooked eggs. You should be able to find them at most grocery stores.
Here’s a recipe for pasteurizing eggs at home.
What is Edible Cookie Dough?
Edible cookie dough is what it sounds like: it’s cookie dough that has been made safe to eat without baking! Most recipes use heat-treated flour, and they typically leave out the eggs completely. So those raw cookie dough recipes aren’t usually great for baking, but they’re great for eating out of a bowl with a spoon!
Edible cookie dough has become popular over the last few years to fulfill our cravings for uncooked dough. You can buy it at the store, but I love making it at home. It’s easy and so delicious! Check below for all my favorite recipes (chocolate chip, oreo, and more).
Is Raw Cookie Dough Bad for You?
To wrap things up, let me repeat: DO NOT eat raw cookie dough if you’re using a regular cookie recipe. However, if the flour has been heat-treated, and the eggs are pasteurized (or left out), then the dough should be safe to eat.
So dig into those edible cookie doughs, and save the other kind for baking! Because baked cookies are delicious too.
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