The Sugar Swap You Want For Super Thin, Crispy Cookies

Whether you love a classic chocolate chip cookie or a unique cannoli thumbprint cookie, cookies are truly loved by everyone. They are the perfect sweet treat. They are bite-sized, come in an array of flavors, are easy to recreate at home, and can be beautifully decorated with intricate designs. However, they can also be the cause of debate because everyone has strong opinions about the texture of a cookie. People are either team thick and chewy or thin and crispy.

If you're a fan of thin and crispy cookies, then your preference is the only one that matters right now. A thinly baked cookie with the right amount of crunch and a hint of softness can easily be created at home. You just need to focus on one extra sweet ingredient: granulated sugar. Yes, this sugar is in most cookie recipes. But, it's usually used alongside brown sugar. However, when you only use white sugar, your cookies are guaranteed to be remarkably thin and crispy every time. The reason why is a bit complex. It has to do with chemistry and the way pH levels affect food.

What are pH levels? Well, it's a unit of measurement used to measure how acidic or nonacidic a substance is. Popular acidic ingredients used in baking include lemon juice, cocoa powder, and buttermilk. Granulated sugar, like pure water, has a neutral pH. This means when it's combined with baking soda it doesn't create a chemical reaction. Baking soda is usually activated with the addition of an acidic ingredient.

When it's activated, it releases carbon dioxide, which is the gas responsible for helping your cookies and desserts rise. Without this reaction, your cookies will remain flat and will actually spread out a bit on the baking sheet. When they spread out, they will bake faster since they are thinner. This will also allow them to have crispy, golden-brown edges.

Since granulated sugar has less moisture than brown sugar, your cookie will come out drier than normal. The lack of moisture in the batter will help your cookie have a crispier texture. This switch-up works best with recipes that only call for one type of sugar such as sugar cookies. Changing the sugar will noticeably change the flavor and texture of your cookies and it's easier to keep track of those changes when you were originally only using one sugar. Not sure how much granulated sugar you need for your cookie recipes? When substituting it for brown sugar, you can follow a 1:1 ratio.