As a child, one of my favorite parts of baking cookies with my mom was licking the raw batter leftover in the mixing bowl. So, naturally I was curious when Kristen Tomlan opened, DŌ, a cookie dough scoop shop in 2017. Her safe-to-eat raw cookie dough served like an ice cream cone quickly became an Instagram sensation and she created a thriving online business shipping the dough nationally.
This October, she’s sharing her secrets to make safe-to-eat and ready-to-bake cookie dough in the cookbook Hello Cookie Dough: 110 Doughlicious Confections to Eat, Bake, and Share (October 15, 2019).
“I’ve always wanted to write a cookbook,” Tomlan says. “My mom is a chef and cookbook author, so maybe it’s in my blood. This was the perfect chance to use my cookie dough and baking expertise and finally teach people to make safe-to-eat cookie dough treats at home! It’s an extension of me and the DŌ brand.”
The book features recipes including Carnival Crunch, Best Berry Crisp, and Salt & Pepper Perfection, as well as instructions on how to make sure the cookie dough you make is safe to eat.
While waiting for the book to come out, we caught up with Tomlan who shared a few of her favorite places to get dessert in NYC as well as a recipe from her cookbook.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz6OeeLgzq3/
Brigadeiros from Brigadiero Bakery
I learned about the Brazilian delicacy known as Brigadieros a few years ago and my life has never been the same. The best are found at Brigadeiro Bakery in SoHo, which is dangerously close to my office. They melt in your mouth.
https://www.instagram.com/p/2ohQYLyGiq/
Chocolate Pudding at Rucola
One of my favorite neighborhood restaurants is Rucola. Partially because they make great cocktails, partially because their seasonal menu is always on point, and mostly because they make this ridiculous salted chocolate pudding topped with a big dollop of whipped cream and finished with a bath of olive oil. You can’t not get the pudding… at least that’s what I tell my husband every time we go.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1UkQ15gQMd/
Macarons from Dana’s Bakery
I’m a sucker for a good macaron. At Dana’s you get all of the classic American flavors I crave (s’mores, fruity cereal, birthday cake) but with the fancy French technique that makes the shells perfectly crispy on the outside and oh, so delicate and soft on the inside. Win, win.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzBRF39h6zS/
Sundae at ABC Kitchen
I mean… I’ve never met a sundae I didn’t like, but the salted caramel ice cream sundae at ABC Kitchen is next-level good. Each component is stellar on its own, but altogether, it might be the perfect bite. My mouth is actually watering just thinking about it. Creamy salted caramel ice cream, crunchy candied peanuts, chewy caramel popcorn, fluffy whipped cream, and decadent chocolate fudge sauce? Need I say more? … Didn’t think so.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzEMGREI9us/
Crème Brûlée from Boucherie
There’s something about crème brûlée that makes me extra thankful to be alive. That satisfying sugar shatter when you crack into it makes me extra happy every time. Yum!
Signature Chocolate Chip
From Hello Cookie Dough: 110 Doughlicious Confections to Eat, Bake, and Share by Kristen Tomlan
True love. It happened to me at a very young age. I certainly was one of the lucky ones—no dating apps or awkward first dates. Some people never experience true love, or it may take them their entire lives to find it. I was young—actually, just four or five years old when I first fell hard. And, of all places, I found love in my parents’ kitchen. My significant other? Chocolate chip cookie dough. Forget first crushes, high school sweethearts, and college flings—chocolate chip cookie dough and I are actual forever soul mates. We’re truly, madly, deeply in love.
No question about it—this recipe is the OG. The best-seller. The ultimate nostalgic dessert. The one you and I crave most when it comes to cookie dough. Now it’s your turn to fall head over heels.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup pasteurized egg whites, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Heat-treat the flour: Place the flour in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval. Stir well to make sure none of the flour burns (microwaves have those tricky hot spots). Use an instant-read thermometer to test the flour in several places to make sure it has reached 165°F throughout. If you get a lower reading in one area, just stir and heat for an additional 30 seconds until it’s all ready! If some flour sticks to the sides of the bowl just leave it there. Break up any chunks and let cool completely.
(Insiders hint: DŌ is going to be selling their own Heat-Treated Flour with the launch of the cookbook, Hello, Cookie Dough, so you can buy their safe-to-eat flour and skip this step. Visit cookiedonyc.com for more.)
Make the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups heat-treated flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated and brown sugars and mix on medium until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes will do the trick. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl. Add the egg whites and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes.
Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low just until the powdery texture of the flour disappears, about 15 seconds. Immediately add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and mix a final 15 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips.
Ready to fall in love? Dig in!
