The Essence of the Choco-Chip Cookie

While every individual has their own preference and taste, cookie savants generally agree that there are essential qualities that make a chocolate chip cookie great. A noun, a chocolate chip cookie can be described using adjectives derived from the senses of taste, touch, and smell. In turn, an adjective can be coupled with an adverb to convey quality. This essay aims to expound on a chocolate chip cookie’s characteristic qualities and how one might enhance them. The following question will frame the reader’s line of thought throughout this essay: “What is not a chocolate chip cookie?”

There is nothing that disappoints a sweet-tooth more than biting into a cookie and tasting a cracker. A cookie is a dessert. Therefore a chocolate chip cookie should prioritize sweet over savory. Sources of sweetener for a chocolate chip cookie include: chocolate, sugar, and syrup. Sugar is the gold standard and imparts crisp. Syrup creates a chewy and a glazed exterior. But chocolate is essential: it draws out the sweet with a bitter and brief introduction.

Besides enriching sweetness, chocolate embodies another essential quality: gooeyness. Gooeyness bestows the chocolate chip cookie with the ability to retain heat and moisture. It is this quality that governs how the cookie should be served--whether as a companion to ice cream, coffee, or simply adorned with toppings. Without gooeyness, a cookie might be mistaken for an attempt at shortbread or tuille. Gooeyness is governed by the quality of the chocolate. Larger chunks allow the cookie to retain heat longer and milkier chocolate melts at a lower temperature.

The third and final essential quality to a chocolate chip cookie is its alluring aroma. Aroma allows one to test without indulging. It is an indicator of whether the cookie has been prepared correctly. No one wants to overindulge in a deceitful dessert! The ingredients that characterize the aroma of a chocolate chip cookie are: butter, chocolate, and vanilla. The aroma of butter indicates richness. The aroma of chocolate indicates sweetness. The aroma of vanilla indicates savory-ness.

To conclude, the essential qualities of a chocolate chip cookie are sweetness, gooeyness, and aroma. These can be enhanced by adjusting the recipe’s essential ingredients: butter and chocolate. While one can merely capture the essence of a chocolate chip cookie by following the recipe, one can best exemplify it with experimentation of the essential ingredients. Another takeaway: Enthusiasm is essential in everything!