Giada De Laurentiis' Easy Tip For Adding Variety To Your Next Batch Of Cookies

Giada De Laurentiis is no stranger to dessert hacks — this is the same culinary mastermind who puts black beans in her brownies, after all. It makes sense, then, that she's come up with a serious game-changer, even for those who wouldn't be described as adventurous bakers. In an episode of "Giada at Home" showcased on the Food Network's YouTube page, De Laurentiis demonstrates how she adds major variety to her baking sessions without creating maximum mess. 

She prepares a big bowl of double chocolate chip cookie dough and scoops out enough cookies to fill one sheet pan. After putting that batch in the oven, she divides the remaining dough into two portions. Into one, she adds chocolate-covered espresso beans that have been pulsed in a food processor. Into the other, she deposits broken-up Andes mints. Now, she has three batches of different cookies — one plain chocolate, one espresso chip, and one cocoa-mint — while having only done the work of mixing up one batch of dough. This dirties only two bowls, which is a major boon to any baker.

Cookies are a staple that many home bakers can serviceably produce, but what if you want to mix it up? This is where Giada De Laurentiis' hack shines: You can make multiple varieties of cookie by portioning out one batch of dough. Although the trick was originally performed with double chocolate chip cookies, there's no reason you can't apply it to other types of cookie. Try out a peanut butter cookie upgrade and make one third with marshmallow and jam, one third with oats and dried fruit, and one plain. There's also no reason you couldn't make enough dough to divide into fourths, or even greater amounts. Your imagination is the only limiting factor.

The best thing about this cookie tip is that it encourages a bit of recklessness in baking, which is normally an arena of convention and proven results. Go crazy and try some cayenne pepper with your chocolate chip cookies for one batch, candied ginger in another, and crushed pretzels and potato chips in a third. Your friends and loved ones can help you rate the different cookies, and you might even discover a new favorite.