How will changing

the egg content in

my cookie recipe
affect my finished
baked goods?
My go-to cookie recipe consists of 1 cake
mix box, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 2 whole
eggs. I have almost forgotten the correct
amounts and have pondered what my
cookies would have turned out like if I had
not caught my mistake.

I have observed eggs make baked goods

less dense.

I predict the cookies with more whole

eggs and egg whites will expand more
and be chewier than cookies baked with
fewer eggs and/or partial eggs.
•Cake mix boxes - identical brands and flavor (6)
•Vegetable oil (3 cups)
•Eggs (12)
•Parchment paper (at least 102”)
•Conventional oven
•Oven mitts (2)
•Cookie baking sheet (large)
•Mixing bowl
•Spatula
•Measuring cup (1/2)
•Measuring cup (1/4)
•Measuring tape
•Tablespoon
•Cookie containers (6 = 1 container per batch)
•Taste testers
•Taste tester surveys (1 for each tester)
•Sticky notes
•Pens

•Optional: Milk of choice

Part 1 - Baking & Measuring:
Control Recipe: Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Mix 1 box of cake
mix, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 2 whole eggs using a mixing
bowl and spatula. Measure ¼ cup of the dough mixture and
evenly distribute onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet in a
4L x 3W pattern. Use a tablespoon, if needed, to guide the
dough out of the measuring cup. Bake in the preheated oven for
11 minutes. After 11 minutes, use the oven mitts as a hand
barrier to safely remove the hot cookie sheet from the oven.
With the spatula, replace the cookies from the cookie sheet into
a container. Measure cookie widths in centimeters using the
measuring tape.
Repeat the Control Recipe 5 more times with the eggs as the
ONLY variation:
1. 1 whole egg
2. 2 egg yolks only
3. 2 egg whites only
4. 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
5. 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
Part 2 - Taste Testing:
Taste Tester Survey
1 - Too chewy
2 - Chewy
3 - Both chewy & crunchy
4 - Crunchy
5 - Too crunchy
Create the Taste Tester survey. Create an egg content
and assign a number reference for each cookie batch
container. Place a sticky note on each container with the
matching number only. Allow Taste Testers to sample
cookies from each batch. Offer glasses of milk, if desired.
Testers will assign each cookie batch a rating number
based on chewiness. Testers should not know batch egg
content or discuss their ratings until after the surveys are
complete.
 Average Cookie Width (cm)
9.5
9.17
8.25 8.42
7.67 7.67

2 WHOLE EGGS 1 WHOLE EGG 2 EGG YOLKS 2 EGG WHITES 1 WHOLE EGG + 1 WHOLE EGG +
ONLY ONLY 1 EGG YOLK 1 EGG WHITE
1 2 3 4 5 6

Taste Tester Survey Taste Tester Survey

Rating Chewiness
1 Too Chewy
5
2 Chewy
4
3.5 3.5 3 Chewy & Crunchy
3 3 3 3 3 3
2.5 4 Crunchy
2 2 2 2
1.5 5 Too Crunchy
1 1

2 WHOLE EGGS 1 WHOLE EGG 2 EGG YOLKS 2 EGG WHITES 1 WHOLE EGG + 1 WHOLE EGG +
ONLY ONLY 1 EGG YOLK 1 EGG WHITE
1 2 3 4 5 6

Tester 1 Tester 2 Average

Hypothesis Prediction 1: Cookies with more whole eggs and egg whites will expand
more than cookies baked with fewer eggs and/or partial eggs.

Results: True, in general, in width. False, in height. Cookies baked with the most whole
egg content were the top three widest (1, 6, and 5). The cookies baked in egg white only
(4) were next. The 1 whole egg (2) and 2 egg yolks only (3) tied in average width. I
believe the tie-in average width is due to one of the 2 egg yolks only cookies losing its
structure in the baking process. I would conduct this experiment again with those two
factors to test my theory that the 1 whole egg width average would be higher than 2 egg
yolks only. Observationally, batches made with more egg yolk (3 & 5) retained the
cylindrical measuring cup shape more and did not flatten like their counterparts.

Hypothesis Prediction 2: Cookies with more whole eggs and egg whites will be
chewier than cookies baked with fewer eggs and/or partial eggs.

Results: Varied. The two lowest average chewiness ratings (1 & 6) coincide with the top
two average cookie widths (1 & 6). From there, results vary. I predict this is due to
differences in tester preferences. It is also a factor that my experiment had only two
testers, and the results would have had a better sample if I had more participants.

Final Statement: Cookies varying in egg content changed their final height and width
but were nonetheless all tasty and enjoyable to eat. Informally, I asked my taste testers
(family members) which batch they liked best. Neither chose the control sample. My son
liked 2 (1 whole egg). My husband liked 3 (2 egg yolks only), and commented, “It’s like a
scone.” I may consider that when making cookie batches in consideration of their
preferences. I will reference this experiment in future baking projects when attempting to
achieve certain textures and densities.