This Ingredient That's Often Found In Crispy Fried Chicken Is Also The Secret To Soft, Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies

If you've ever wondered how those frosted cookies from the grocery store bakery are so light and tender while still holding their cookie shape, now we can tell you, thanks to Tasty Resident Brandon Gouveia.

Hands holding a stack of four chunky cookies with chocolate chips and a sprinkle of salt on top
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Cornstarch is the secret (and unexpected!) weapon for a softer cookie that still has body and shape to it. And while it's used in savory dishes like fried chicken to lend shatteringly-crisp texture, it serves a totally different purpose in tender baked goods.

A person's hand adding spice to a bowl of dry mix for cookies with caption "cornstarch" and arrow
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Most typical cookie doughs are made with flour, which contains protein in the form of gluten that strengthens as you mix it. The more gluten that forms, the tougher the dough.

Mixing bowl with flour and wet ingredients on left; smooth batter on right
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Cornstarch, on the other hand, has no protein. Adding just a few tablespoons of cornstarch to your cookie dough will keep the dough's gluten development at bay, creating cookies with a tender texture and a fine crumb.

Person breaking a soft chocolate chip cookie in half
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Now, that's a soft cookie.

Person holding a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with a gooey center, surrounded by more cookies on a baking sheet
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To make Brandon's Brown Butter Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies (and hundreds of others), download the free Tasty app to access 7,500+ recipes and join our community of home cooks.

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