Make Store-Bought Cookie Dough Taste Homemade With One Ingredient

When the craving for a really good cookie strikes, nothing else will do. Sure, things like three-ingredient, no-bake cheesecake, butter pecan ice cream, or frozen yogurt feel fancier and more indulgent, but there's something comforting about a cookie. Even the fanciest ones don't require any utensils to eat, and they're often small enough that it's easy to enjoy more than one. Plus, the homemade versions typically have that beautifully soft texture and deep flavor that takes them from ordinary snack or dessert to a truly indulgent treat.

Of course, if you don't have the time or ingredients to whip up a batch of your favorite bakery-style peanut butter cookies, that doesn't mean you have to settle for a lesser dessert. It just means you'll need to get a little creative with a tub of store-bought cookie dough. Fortunately, there's an abundance of ways to make store-bought cookie dough taste better, from improving the texture with extra butter or a stint in the fridge, to creating a more intense flavor with unexpected add-ins like espresso powder.

Whether your mix includes chocolate chips or has the dark richness of cocoa throughout, espresso powder is a great way to bring it to life. The floral, sweet notes in the powder will intensify the flavors in the chocolate while also bringing warmth and depth to the other flavors in the cookie, as well. Just a pinch is plenty to improve the flavor without making your cookies taste like a cafe au lait.

Since most store-bought cookie dough comes chilled, or even frozen, you'll need to bring it to room temperature before stirring in any additional ingredients. This ensures the dough is soft enough that you can use a stand mixer or rubber spatula to work the dough and ensure the espresso powder is evenly distributed, as you don't want to bite into a big clump of the stuff. As mentioned, chilling cookie dough is a pretty standard practice — it can give the finished cookies a richer flavor and better texture – so you can just slide the raw cookies into the fridge for a few minutes after everything is nicely mixed.

It's also worth noting that espresso powder may not be the best add-in for cookies sans chocolate — unless, of course, you want a distinct taste of coffee in your cookies, which could be delicious. For instance, espresso powder might be a great way to create cappuccino snickerdoodles or a mocha-style oatmeal raisin cookie. However, if you're not a tried-and-true coffee lover, it may be best to stick to other flavors when it comes to chocolate-free store-bought cookie dough.

If you prefer a softer texture, for example, brown sugar is the perfect ingredient to make soft, dense cookies. The molasses in the brown sugar adds a little extra moisture while also bringing a deep warmth to the flavor of the dough itself. You can also play with extracts, like vanilla and almond, or sprinkle on some finishing salt to really bring your cookies to life.