Give Store-Bought Cookie Dough A Nostalgic Upgrade With One Ingredient

Homemade cookies are the best, but sometimes life is busy and shortcuts are needed. Enter store-bought cookie dough. Those logs, tubs, and perfect button-sized pre-scooped pieces of dough offer convenience, consistency in taste, and immediate gratification without the mess. But if you are looking for a way to put your own spin on this almost homemade baked good, reach for a bag of freeze-dried fruit. In fact, once you try this easy upgrade, it may become your reason to always have freeze-dried fruit in your pantry.

This ingredient, which has had its moisture sucked out using a commercial freezer, was made popular thanks to space travel and every kid on the block wanted to try it. Today, freeze-dried fruit is everywhere, including berries, apples, bananas, pineapple, and even citrus fruits. Its crispy texture and sweet taste make it a great snack food — and these same qualities make it a perfect upgrade for store-bought cookie dough.

There are several different ways to use freeze-dried fruit in your store-bought cookie dough. You can mix it in whole, chop it up, and press these pieces on top of each doughy scoop. Or, you can turn it into a powder using your blender or food processor and roll balls of cookie dough in it for a fruity outer layer.    

Why use freeze-dried fruit instead of fresh? Fresh fruit will add moisture to the cookie dough and will ultimately change the taste and texture. This dehydrated version of fruit is going to add a nice sweet, fruity, and chewy component to your cookies. Just be aware that this altered version of your fruity favorites has an intense taste, so you may need to experiment to find the amount and manner in which you want to add it.  

If you need inspiration for pairings, grab your favorite store-bought break-and-bake cookies and head to the aisle where you'll find your freeze-dried fruit. Try adding strawberries to chocolate chip cookie dough or roll those premeasured mounds of white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough in pulverized blueberry freeze-dried fruit powder. You can also wait until those buttery sugar cookies come out of the oven, and while they are still warm, finish them with a nice dusting of crushed apple or cherry freeze-dried fruit.

This store-bought cookie dough upgrade is like space exploration: It's only limited by your own imagination and the type of fruit you have available.