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According to a chocolate chip cookie recipe, I chilled the cookie dough before baking but it was also written to turn the cookie dough to room temperature before baking. What is the purpose of doing that?

I found out research indicating that we put the cookie dough in the fridge to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. But then why do we have to return the dough to room temperature?

How long should I wait in order for the shaped cookies on the baking sheet to get the room temperature?

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    Please detail the recipe that you're using.
    – KatieK
    Jan 18, 2013 at 18:50

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The resting is probably to hydrate to the dough, which will inhibit spreading. See https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/29298/14401.

The bringing back to room temperatre is probably for one of four reasons:

  • To help ensure you are baking each tray at a consistent temperature
  • Colder dough will cook on the outside a bit more before cooking through, so they may brown or crisp or dry out more than is desired before being cooked through
  • They might be somewhat easier to scoop at room temperature
  • The original recipe author was just used to doing it that way.

It is highly likely that by adjusting the baking time slightly, you could bake them from refrigerator temperature, with only a very small change in quality. You would just have to try it and see.

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  • Thank you!!!!!The cookie recipe says to cool the dough for 30 mins after i shape the cookies and put them on the baking pan how long should i wait to bring them to room temperature?
    – Felissa
    Jan 18, 2013 at 18:57
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    Truthfully, I wouldn't bother to do it at all. It is even possible to bake them from frozen dought lumps in almost all cases.
    – SAJ14SAJ
    Jan 18, 2013 at 19:27

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