Cookie Lab

Chris Whitbeck & Jill Maxwell
  • 5,0 (7)
  • Gastronomie
  • Chaque semaine

The Cookie Lab is a podcast for everyone who loves cookies! The hosts, Chris & Jill, are cookie enthusiasts who want to share their love of cookies with the world.

  1. -2 h

    Cookie Lab Cookie # 219 Cherry Garcia Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail The Maraschino Matrix (with Cherry Garcia Cookies) So, I’m sitting in the lab, and Chris walks in. Chris is my co-host, and he always has this look on his face like he’s just figured out a secret about the universe, but he’s not sure if he’s allowed to tell me. He looks at me and says, "Jill. We’re doing Cherry Garcia." And I’m like... The Ben & Jerry’s flavor? In a cookie? Chris, it’s a liquid. You’re trying to bake a liquid. Are you okay? But he was serious. He had the apron on. There was no stopping him. What Actually Happened The Bulletin Board of Destiny: Before we even get to the butter, Chris drops some history on me. Apparently, back in the 80s, the whole idea for Cherry Garcia came from a random piece of paper pinned to a bulletin board in a Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop. Just a note on a wall. That’s how history was made before iPhones. You just wrote a thought on a napkin, stuck a sharp piece of metal through it, and suddenly you’re in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame of dairy. I leave notes for my family on the counter all the time. Usually about the trash. No one has turned them into a franchise yet.The Tasting: We actually eat the cookies. I take a bite, Chris takes a bite, and there’s this long, heavy pause. It’s that kind of silence where you’re processing so much sugar and nostalgia at the same time that you forget how to speak. They’re good. They’re scary good. It’s like the ice cream, but warm, which shouldn't make sense, but it does.The Dr. Frankenstein Twist: But then—because Chris can’t just let us be happy—he decides to explain the science of the maraschino cherry. And guys? It’s dark. It turns out a maraschino cherry is basically a normal cherry that died, went to purgatory, got bleached into a ghost, and was then dyed bright red (or green) so it could pretend to be alive again. It’s a chemical identity crisis. I was eating a zombie fruit.You’re absolutely going to want to bake these, but you’re also going to need a minute to process what we do to food in the name of science. It’s a lot to take in. It’s a culinary roller coaster. Listen to the full episode now. Before Chris explains how they make hot dogs and ruins my childhood completely.Subscribe and review: Tell your friends. Tell your enemies. Just don't tell me what's in the cherries anymore.Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    13 min

  2. 24 juin

    Cookie Lab Cookie #218 Olive Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail The Mediterranean Twist: Kalamata Olive Cookies! 🫒🍪 Get ready to expand your cookie horizons because this week in the Cookie Lab, Jill is taking a daring leap into the world of sweet-savory fusion with her Kalamata Olive Cookies! We start our journey by diving into the surprising history of olive-based sweets, tracing the origins of utilizing cured fruits in traditional Mediterranean baking. We explore how coastal bakers historically utilized olive oil and preserved olives in sweet biscuits and holiday pastries, proving that the boundary between dinner and dessert has always been deliciously blurry. Next, we move straight to the tasting table to sink our teeth into Jill's unique creation. We share our unfiltered reactions to this bold flavor profile, letting you know if the salty, rich kalamata olives successfully harmonize with the sweet cookie dough or if it tastes like we dropped a spoonful of tapenade into a sugar bowl. It is a high-stakes bite that will challenge everything you thought you knew about the classic cookie jar! Finally, we close out the episode with a deep dive into the "Science of the Brine." We examine the chemistry of olive curing, explaining how raw olives are virtually inedible off the branch due to a highly bitter phenolic compound called oleuropein. We break down how the brining process—using water, salt, and lactic acid fermentation—hydrolyzes this bitter compound, removing it from the fruit while osmotic pressure infuses the olive with the complex, savory, and tangy notes that make Kalamata olives a culinary masterpiece. It is an episode packed with ancient traditions, a wild taste test, and the essential food chemistry behind your favorite savory snack! Recipe Link: Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    13 min

  3. 27 mai

    Cookie Lab Cookie #217 Key Lime Thumbprint Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail Key Lime Sunshine! Aunt Sally’s Secrets & Cold-Cooked Custard 🍋🌴 Welcome back to the lab, where this week we are baking up a storm of tropical sunshine! Chris is in the kitchen recreating a sensational recipe from Bon Appétit to bring us Key Lime Thumbprint Cookies. Before we even got the butter out to soften, we sailed back in time to explore the salty history of the Florida Keys and the legendary origins of the Key lime. We dive into the mystery of "Aunt Sally," the late 19th-century cook widely credited with inventing the Key lime pie, and her fascinating relationship with local sponge fishermen. We discuss how these rugged sailors spent weeks at sea without refrigeration, carrying only non-perishable staples like canned sweetened condensed milk, wild-harvested Key limes, and eggs—a combination that would accidentally change the dessert world forever. Once our history lesson wrapped up, we moved straight into the main event: the tasting! We bite into Chris’s thumbprint creations to see if he successfully captured that delicate balance of a crumbly, buttery graham cracker base and an intensely tart, creamy lime center. We share our unfiltered reactions to the texture and whether these bite-sized treats deliver that authentic, puckery punch of a true Florida Key lime pie. Finally, we close out the pod with a major science bomb about the physics of the "cold cook." We explain the amazing chemical reaction that occurs when you mix highly acidic lime juice with egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. You’ll learn all about protein denaturation—how the low pH of the citric acid structurally alters and curdle-free coagulates the proteins in the yolk, effectively "cooking" and setting the custard without ever needing to turn on a stove or apply external heat. It is an episode packed with maritime history, tropical flavors, and mind-bending kitchen chemistry that will completely change how you look at citrus! Recipe Link: https://tinyurl.com/keylimecookielab Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    16 min

  4. 18 mai

    Cookie Lab Cookie #216 Kulfi Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail The Great Kulfi Cookie Conundrum 🍦🍪 Grab your lab coats and your favorite mixing spoons, bakers! This week on Cookie Lab, we are fusing the worlds of frozen desserts and fresh-baked treats. We’re putting on our flavor-scientist hats to tackle a beloved South Asian classic and transform it into the ultimate cookie: The Kulfi Cookie. Here’s a breakdown of our delicious experiment: 🧪 Inside the Lab This Week: Hypothesis Testing: What is Kulfi? Before we could bake it, we had to understand it. We dive into the history of this traditional, dense, and creamy frozen dessert that has been a staple of South Asian summers for centuries.The Baseline Control: For "research purposes" (totally not just because we wanted a snack), we sample authentic Kulfi ice cream. We break down its signature texture and taste profile to establish exactly what our cookie needs to live up to.The Main Experiment: Jill steps up to the oven! We put her freshly baked Kulfi Cookies to the ultimate taste test. Did she successfully capture that rich, caramelized, cardamom-infused magic in cookie form? Or did it crumble under pressure?The Deep Science of Saffron: Ever wonder why a tiny pinch of these vibrant red threads can completely transform a dish—and why it costs more than its weight in gold? We break down the food science, chemistry, and aromatics of saffron that give Kulfi its iconic golden hue and floral punch.Did you bake along with us this week? Tag us in your cookie photos on Instagram @CookieLabPodcast or drop your cookie theories in comments. Sweet Tip of the Week: When working with saffron, don't just throw the threads straight into your dough! Bloomy them in a tablespoon of warm milk first to extract maximum color and flavor.Don't forget to Subscribe, Rate, and Review wherever you get your podcasts. Now, let's get baking! Recipe link: https://www.dishbyrish.co.uk/2021/03/pistachio-kulfi-cookies/ Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    13 min

  5. 4 mai

    Cookie Lab Cookie #215 Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail The Sourdough Rebirth: Pandemic Starters & Peanut Butter Dreams! 🥖🥜 Welcome back to the lab for an episode that is truly "risen" from the grave! This week, Chris is pushing the boundaries of shelf-life as he reveals his secret pandemic project: a batch of sourdough starter he made from scratch years ago, dried out, and has now successfully reanimated just for this bake. We are putting this "Franken-starter" to the ultimate test by incorporating it into a batch of Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies. We begin our journey by traveling back nearly 6,000 years to Ancient Egypt, where the very first sourdough was discovered by accident when a bit of flour and water was left out to capture the wild yeast of the Nile. We discuss how this ancient method of leavening became a survival staple for explorers, gold miners, and eventually, bored bakers during the 2020 lockdowns. Once the history is set, we move into the main event: the taste test of these unique, long-awaited treats. Despite the starter’s dramatic backstory, the cookies are surprisingly light, airy, and delicious, proving that sourdough isn't just for tangy loaves of bread—it adds a sophisticated depth to the classic peanut butter profile. We share our honest reactions to the texture and whether the "funk" of the sourdough overpowers the nuttiness of the butter. Finally, we wrap up the hour by geeking out over the "Science of the Starter." We take a deep dive into the fascinating symbiotic relationship between wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. We explain how these two microorganisms work together in a microscopic "buddy system," where the bacteria create an acidic environment that protects the yeast from competitors, while the yeast provides the lift and flavor that makes sourdough so uniquely yummy. It is an episode filled with ancient legends, kitchen resurrections, and the beautiful biology of fermentation! Recipe Link: https://littlespoonfarm.com/sourdough-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe/#recipe Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    15 min

  6. 28 avr.

    Cookie Lab Cookie #214 ANZAC Biscuits

    Send us Fan Mail The ANZAC Legend: History, Honor, and Golden Syrup! 🇦🇺🇳🇿 This week on Cookie Lab, we are exploring a biscuit that is much more than just a sweet treat—it is a piece of living history. Jill is in the kitchen baking the iconic ANZAC Biscuit, a staple of Australian and New Zealand culture that carries a legacy of resilience and remembrance. Before we even preheated the oven, we sat down to discuss the moving history behind these oaty delights, tracing their origins back to World War I and the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. We explore how these biscuits were carefully crafted by women’s groups and wives to survive months at sea without spoiling, which explains the unique absence of eggs and the inclusion of ingredients designed for durability and comfort on the front lines. Once we paid our respects to the history, we moved straight into the lab for the main event: the taste test. Jill shares her secrets for getting that perfect balance of toasted oats and sweet coconut, and we weigh in on the great national debate—should an ANZAC biscuit be "chewy" or "crunchy"? We let you know if our batch achieved that signature buttery snap and how the deep, mellow sweetness of the oats pairs with the rich, caramel notes of the golden syrup. It’s a tasting session filled with nostalgia and a deep appreciation for a recipe that has remained largely unchanged for over a century. Finally, we wrap up the episode with a fascinating dive into the "Science of the Sizzle." We investigate the specific chemical reaction that occurs when you combine baking soda with warm golden syrup. We explain the neutralization reaction that takes place between the slightly acidic syrup and the alkaline soda, creating the carbon dioxide bubbles responsible for the biscuit's unique aeration and its distinctively golden, porous texture. It is an episode that blends military history, culinary tradition, and kitchen chemistry into one perfect, oaty bite! Recipe Link: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/anzac/biscuit/recipe https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/commemoration/event-planning/anzac-biscuits Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    14 min

  7. 6 avr.

    Cookie Lab Cookie #213 TimTam Copycat Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail The TimTam Slamdown! (G’day from the Cookie Lab) 🇦🇺🍫 G’day, bakers! This week on Cookie Lab, we are heading Down Under—without ever leaving the kitchen—to tackle one of Australia’s most iconic and addictive exports: the TimTam. Jill and Chris are in the lab recreating these chocolate-coated, malted-cream-filled masterpieces using a stunningly accurate and delicious recipe from the baking blog A Beautiful Plate. Before we even touched a cookie, we sat down to discuss the fascinating history of this Aussie legend, tracing its origins back to the 1960s when Ian Norris at Arnott’s was inspired to create a better version of the British Penguin biscuit, eventually naming his creation after the 1958 Kentucky Derby winner. Once the historical stage was set, we moved straight into the main event: the tasting and the legendary "TimTam Slam." For the uninitiated, this involves biting off opposite corners of the cookie and using it as a literal straw for a hot beverage, a high-stakes maneuver that requires precision, speed, and a very high tolerance for melted chocolate on your fingers. We let you know exactly how our homemade version from A Beautiful Plate held up under the pressure of the coffee soak and whether it achieved that perfect, gooey structural collapse that makes a TimTam so famous. Finally, we wrapped up the episode by geeking out over the technical side of the filling with a deep dive into the specific chemistry of creaming confectioner’s sugar into butter. Focusing on how the fine particles affect aeration and structural integrity. We broke down the science of why this specific mixing method is the secret to achieving that professional, "melt-away" texture in the center that separates a true TimTam from a standard chocolate cookie. It is an episode full of international flair, messy fingers, and the essential physics of the perfect cream filling! Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    23 min

  8. 30 mars

    Cookie Lab Cookie #212 Cracker Jack Cookies

    Send us Fan Mail Take Me Out to the Cookie Lab! (The Cracker Jack Episode) 🍿🥨 Get ready to step up to the plate because this week on Cookie Lab, we are swinging for the fences with a nostalgic masterpiece: Jill’s Cracker Jack Cookies! Inspired by a brilliant recipe from the website Balanced Taste.com, Jill has managed to capture the entire essence of the ballpark in a single, chewy, caramel-laden cookie. We aren't just baking with the flavors of the iconic snack; we are literally folding in the popcorn, the peanuts, and that signature molasses crunch to see if a legendary concession can survive the transition into a modern bake. The episode takes a historical turn as Jill shares the fascinating origin story of Cracker Jack, tracing its roots all the way back to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. We discuss how German immigrant brothers Frederick and Louis Rueckheim introduced the world to this "popcorn-nut-and-honey" concoction, and how a random customer’s exclamation—"That’s a crackerjack!"—gave the brand its name. We also dive into the marketing genius of the "surprise inside" and how the 1908 anthem "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" cemented its place in American culture forever. We investigate the role of moisture migration and how to achieve that perfect "cracker jack" texture without the cookie becoming soggy or the peanuts losing their snap. Finally, the team sits down for a taste test that feels like a trip to the stadium, determining if this recipe truly hits a home run or if it strikes out on the first pitch. It is an episode filled with carnival history, snack-food science, and a whole lot of caramel, so grab your prize from the box and join us for this high-energy tribute to a true American classic! Recipe: https://balancedtaste.com/cracker-jack-cookies/ Click here to shop at the Cookie Lab Store Join our FB Group for free access to the Cookie Recipe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/429934808628615 Follow us on TikTok to see how we make the cookies write to us at cookielabpod@gmail.com

    18 min
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À propos

The Cookie Lab is a podcast for everyone who loves cookies! The hosts, Chris & Jill, are cookie enthusiasts who want to share their love of cookies with the world.

Informations

  • Création
    Chris Whitbeck & Jill Maxwell
  • Années d’activité
    2021 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    222
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Cookie Lab
  • Site web de l’émission
    Cookie Lab

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