There are several reasons why bakers use a variety of fats and sweets in their work. Some people use certain components because they are adamant that they are the best (the argument over which is superior, margarine or butter, rages on), while others are seeking for methods to limit the number of calories they get from sugar in their diet (stevia and agave syrup being hot items these days). This essay, Comparing Sweeteners in Baking and in Health, is the outcome of some research that I conducted on the glycemic index of various sweets, as well as some research that I conducted on the substitution of sweeteners in baking. It was very fascinating to read up on the health aspects of sweeteners, and the topic of the effects of utilizing various substances in baking truly peaked my curiosity. The queries that were asked included (but were not limited to) the following: Can I replace all of the sugar in a recipe with honey or agave syrup?
They tell me that I can’t replace all of the sugar in my diet with an option that has no calories, but what would happen if I did? Consequently, despite the fact that I am not an expert, I did carry out an experiment. Since this wasn’t really a scientific experiment, you shouldn’t take the results as gospel or anything like that…but you may find that they’re beneficial anyhow.
I have baked dozens and dozens of cookies today, all based on a famous chocolate chipper recipe that has been adapted into a dozen different forms utilizing the following ingredients: chocolate chips, pecans, white chocolate, and milk chocolate.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Molasses
- Pure maple syrup
- Corn syrup (disguised as artificial maple syrup)
- Agave syrup
- Truvia (zero calories, derived from stevia)
- Butter
- Shortening
- Margarine
- Vegetable oil
- Coconut flour (gluten free)
Because it will save you time, it will keep your dishes clean, and it will save your sanity: When doing the test on fats, I utilized a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar. When I was evaluating various sweeteners, I just used butter. For instance, if you want a cookie made with coconut flour, you’ll have to bake it yourself if you want it to be sweetened with Truvia and lubricated with vegetable oil. And keep me updated on how things turn out!
You will find each recipe presented here in its entirety, as I have implemented it to the best of my abilities, along with photos of the final product and my thoughts on how it turned out.
For the record, this is the recipe that my family considers to be the best chocolate chipper ever. I based the following recipes on this one:
Not Exactly Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies (original)
Makes 2 to 3 dozen.
- ¾ cup butter flavored Crisco
- 1 and ¼ cup brown sugar or white sugar with a couple splashes of molasses
- 2 tablespoons whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- ⅔ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Prepare the oven to 375 degrees. In a large dish, combine the sugar, whiskey, and vanilla with the Crisco. Mix the egg and coconut together well after adding them. After adding the flour, salt, and baking soda, mix the ingredients together with a spoon until they are completely incorporated. Mix in the potato chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for about ten minutes, or until the tops and edges have a light golden brown hue and the center is just starting to color. Before eating, let the baked goods rest for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling.
In the following recipes, I did not use coconut, but other than that, they are quite similar to the originals. When I make changes to the ingredients in the following cookie recipes, I make them throughout. The cookie with honey contains just honey, the cookie with molasses contains only molasses, and so on. I would also mention that I tested each cookie recipe by putting the dough into the oven at both room temperature and after it had been cooled. There was no discernible difference between the two, with the exception of a very little amount of more spread in some of the room-temperature cookies and a longer baking time in the chilled dough cookies. Other than those two details, there was no discernible difference between the two.
Results:
Granulated sugar: Having more of a crunchy texture than a chewy one and the taste of a basic sugar cookie. A cookie that has a broad spread and is hence thin.
Brown sugar:Unlike the white sugar cookie, they are chewier than they are crispy and have a more robust taste. Widespread, in a manner comparable to that of the granulated sugar cookie, but not nearly as extensive.
Honey:Honey flavoring is subtle and complements the cake’s soft and moist texture, which is more cake-like. This cookie has an extremely delicious flavor. There was some expansion but not much.
Molasses: It has a rich molasses taste that is robust but in my perspective is not objectionable, and it is soft, extremely thick, and cake-like in texture. Some of it got out.
Pure maple syrup:The texture is crumbly, soft, and rather dry, yet there is no graininess. This cookie does not have any maple syrup taste that can be detected. Very limited depth of coverage.
Corn syrup(disguised as fake maple syrup) A cake-like substance that is soft, has a bit of a dry texture, and tastes like imitation maple sweets. Very limited depth of coverage.
Agave syrup:Texture that is soft and almost like a paste. Excellent degree of sweetness throughout. Because there was no spread, the middle was barely cooked through.
Truvia (zero calories, derived from stevia): A crumbly and soft consistency with a grainy undertone. This cookie had a taste that was much too sweet but didn’t have an off-putting flavor from the artificial sugar.
Shortening: The sides are crisp, but the middle is mushy, and it has a taste that is reminiscent of butter. Medium spread.
Margarine:It has a strong taste similar to that of fake butter and is crisp around the edges while remaining chewy in the middle. The cookie seems to be perfect. Amazingly smooth and satisfying spread.
Vegetable oil: The dough has a very crumbly texture, but after cooked it comes together well. This cookie has a grainy texture, and, more curiously, the chips retain their melted state long after the biscuit has cooled.
Coconut flour (gluten free): The top and sides quickly became a golden brown, but the middle remained somewhat uncooked. This cookie has a nice taste and a touch grittier texture than others. It is quite delicate until it has had a chance to cool, and even after that, it still crumbles a little bit when you eat it.
Recipes:
Butter and Granulated Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 2 dozen. This cookie recipe is perfect for you if you want cookies that are not too thick and that have a straightforward taste profile.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- 1 and ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Prepare the oven to 375 degrees. Utilizing an electric mixer, thoroughly combine the sugar and butter in a sizable basin. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for around 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops are just starting to color and the edges are beginning to become a light brown hue.
Butter and Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 2 dozen. When I make cookies, I almost always use shortening rather than butter so that the cookies don’t spread out too much and get too crispy. The use of brown sugar in its pure form enables the cookie to retain some moisture and ensures that it will be chewy.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- 1 and ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Prepare the oven to 375 degrees. In a large basin, using a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops and edges are just starting to become a golden brown hue and the edges are browning somewhat.
Butter and Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 1.5 dozen. Because of this recipe, I now know that it is certainly feasible to substitute all of the sugar in a cookie recipe with honey, provided that the cookies are baked at a lower temperature. They have a wonderful taste, and eating them cold from the freezer brings forth their full potential.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- ½ cup honey
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large basin, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the honey and butter. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for ten to twelve minutes, or until the tops and edges have a light golden brown hue and the center is just starting to color.
Butter and Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes approximately 3 dozen. Due to the unusually dark color of the dough, it is difficult to determine whether they have “lightly browned.” I can freely confess that, despite the fact that I used dark molasses in this recipe and thought the taste was pretty darn delicious, I often like drinking black molasses straight from the bottle. If you discover that the black molasses is too intense for your taste, you may like the lighter or milder kind. In addition, it is interesting to note that molasses is loaded with various vitamins and minerals, and so exchanging all of the sugar in a cookie recipe for molasses really results in a cookie that is somewhat beneficial to your health.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- 1 ¼ cup dark molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large basin, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine the butter and molasses. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a golden brown color.
Butter and Pure Maple Syrup Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 2 dozen. My cookies made with maple syrup didn’t have a maple taste, but it might be because I didn’t use the finest quality syrup available (it’s pretty pricey). When I tasted the syrup that I had purchased, I noted that it did not have the robust smoky flavor that I normally associate with high-quality pure maple syrup.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large basin, using a hand mixer, combine the butter and syrup until smooth. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are just starting to color and the edges are beginning to become a golden brown hue.
Butter and Pancake Syrup Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 2 dozen. Corn syrup is the base ingredient in the production of artificial syrup. Whenever I come across a dish that asks for corn syrup, I almost always substitute the syrup that we use on our pancakes for the corn syrup that is called for in the recipe. This experiment utilized pancake syrup not because I believe that people would want to use corn syrup in baking but rather because I believed that the taste could be worth it. The cookies had a flavor that reminded me a lot of the fake maple flavor that you can get in candies; although it wasn’t my favorite, it may be appealing to others.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large basin, using a hand mixer, combine the butter and syrup until smooth. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are just starting to color and the edges are beginning to become a golden brown hue.
Butter and Agave Syrup Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 2.5 dozen. The glycemic index score of agave syrup is rather low, which is a quality that you want in a sweetener. Although it didn’t spread, the cookie had a delicious taste. Before baking the dough, I think I would flatten it out with a glass if I were to make this recipe again.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- ⅔ cup light raw agave syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large basin, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the butter and agave syrup. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for about ten minutes, or until the tops and edges have a light golden brown hue and the center is just starting to color.
Butter and Truvia Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Makes 2.5 dozen. I had planned to do this experiment using stevia in baking, but the only stevia product that could be found at my local supermarket was Truvia. The cookie that was produced from this dough was not nearly as rough as the cookie that was produced from the dough. Because of the extreme sweetness of these cookies, the quantity of Truvia called for in this recipe should definitely be lowered in half. In order to prevent the dough from spreading throughout the baking process, it should be pounded with a glass. Try carob chips instead of chocolate or butterscotch ones if you want to cut down on the amount of sugar in your snack.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- ⅔ cup granulated Truvia sweetener
- 2 tablespoons whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large basin, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and Truvia. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for about ten minutes, or until the tops and edges have a light golden brown hue and the center is just starting to color.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Shortening:
Makes 2 dozen. Shortening has a reputation for being harmful, most likely due to the fact that it is not a natural ingredient, despite the fact that it gives baked products a desired texture.
- ¾ cup butter flavored shortening
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Prepare the oven to 375 degrees. Make a smooth mixture of the sugars and shortening in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops and edges are just starting to become a golden brown hue and the edges are browning somewhat.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Margarine:
Makes 2 dozen. There is a common misconception that margarine is unhealthy because it contains trans fats, which are just as toxic for the body, if not worse, than saturated fat (which butter is laden with). Since margarine was all the rage before it fell out of fashion, “trans fat free” margarine has been available (with just trace quantities of trans fat), and it is advised by certain medical specialists. A little amount of trans fat was present in the margarine that I used (about 10 percent of the total fat). These cookies had a flavor that tasted like fake butter, which I didn’t like for, but the texture was just right.
- ¾ cup margarine
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Prepare the oven to 375 degrees. In a very big bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the sugars and the margarine. Mix well after adding the egg, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops and edges are just starting to become a golden brown hue and the edges are browning somewhat.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oil:
Makes 1.5 dozen. It’s one of my favorite ways to make fast bread, so I was very looking forward to trying this recipe. However, I was disappointed to find that it didn’t turn out very well. Because of how very crumbly the dough was, I had to form the dough into cookies by hand before I could bake them. The end result was OK, but its construction was a real pain in the neck.
- 1 and ¾ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a very large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugars. Combine the oil, whiskey, vanilla extract, and egg in a small bowl and stir well. After adding the liquid components to the dry, mix everything together with a spoon until everything is incorporated. Mix in the potato chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for ten to twelve minutes, or until the tops and edges have a light golden brown hue and the center is just starting to color.
Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free):
Makes 2 dozen. Chips of the Hershey brand are available in a variety of gluten-free flavors, such as chocolate and butterscotch. If I were to make this again, I would use an additional egg to help bind the ingredients together.
- ¾ cup butter, room temp
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or a similar brown liquor, or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Prepare the oven to 375 degrees. Utilizing an electric mixer, combine the butter and the sugars in a sizable basin. After adding the eggs, vanilla, and whiskey, thoroughly combine the ingredients. Mix together the coconut flour, salt, and baking soda until everything is incorporated. Utilizing a spoon, mix in the chips. Put scoops the size of walnuts two inches apart on a baking sheet that has not been oiled. Bake for about ten minutes, or until the tops and edges have a light golden brown hue and the center is just starting to color. Wait at least ten minutes after removing from the pan to let the food cool completely. Before eating, let the dish to fully cool, and ideally put it in the refrigerator.
I get the impression that this is just the top of the iceberg, but I think that’s enough information for now. Enjoy!