Do EXPENSIVE Ingredients make better Holiday Cookies?

[@NickolasBrungardt]

I would do a test that has the same ingredients and quality and just let the taste testers assume there is a difference to see if people's minds and tastebuds can assume a quality difference or not.

[@keithschrack]

I like the way you think!

[@ShintogaDeathAngel]

I wouldn’t be surprised if they did perceive a difference that wasn’t there. I’ve seen an experiment on tv before, where they told testers that one milkshake was cheap, the other luxury, and the testers preferred the “luxury” one - even though there wasn’t actually any difference.

[@EvilOttoJrProductions]

This is a really fun idea, I hope Nate tries it! It could be like an April Fool's episode!

[@justinsalazar7182]

@@EvilOttoJrProductions my thoughts exactly!!!

[@timderks5960]

To add to that: I'd suggest 2 tests. The first time you don't tell them anything, just 2 batches, see what the testers assume. Second time you tell them there is a cheap and a brand one, see if more people can taste a difference, since now they feel like there should be a difference.

[@wandlbaker]

I have really been liking this series. I am a baker and love to cook. What I have found is that if you like it use it. Try some bread (whole wheat, white, etc) That will limit it to the salt, flour and egg for any difference really.

[@ajf6791]

Keep up the amazing work and Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones

[@NFTI]

Wow, thank you! Merry Christmas to you too!

[@CrowzenOver]

I would love to see you try some sort of chocolate fudge (or brownie), potentially a very simple fudge recipe to see how stark the difference is with more expensive ingredients, but a complex recipe would also be excellent. Loved this video!

[@Mittzie]

Legit the 2-3 ingredient chocolate fudge would be a great one to test this with!

[@ExperimentsOfThought]

I misread the card…. Thought Nate was asking if explosive ingredients were better and thought TKOR craziness for Christmas lol

[@essaboselin5252]

Now that would be a perfect episode to have Callie back again! Nate, you have a whole year to plan this out now.

[@TTL47]

My boyfriend and I had an idea over Christmas. Do a Gluten Free and/or Dairy Free vs regular version. I know some good products for sweet or savory that I don't think they could tell if you are interested. Thanks for this series! It is great!

[@TheRealCobra1117]

Nate: Best way I've found to measure molasses is a plunger-style adjustable measuring cup. (I think Oxo makes one, but I'm sure there's others.) This also works well for honey, corn syrup, etc. Try searching for "Oxo adjustable measuring cup".

[@Hasmanian]

This was a really interesting result since I also thought the expensive spices would make a difference. I'd love to see more savory experiments, like chilli or lasagna, in the brands vs basics playlist.

[@KaaSerpent]

I've seen cooking channels use an OILED measuring spoon to measure things like honey and molasses because it slips right out of the spoon with no waste. You might try that. :)

[@JohnSmith-ox7xc]

Haven't checked to see what brands you used for this recipe for the more expensive side, and those that you used for the pumpkin pie, but if the same spices were used but from different brands it's possible the mid-range stuff is better flavor wise than the higher end range. More expensive doesn't necessarily equate to being definitely better tasting.

[@gretl01]

Ooh, yeah - repeat both tests with McCormick vs. Spice Hunter!

[@DirtmopAZ]

You have such an eclectic group of friends

[@Sam-y5o6j]

Always happy to see you post. Merry Christmas. On the nutmeg front - always find it interesting those incredibly intense spices - unless you're mainlining nutmeg by the time you've used pre-ground nutmeg it up it will be stale as hell but whole nutmeg will retain flavour for many years.

[@PhilthyCasualMedia]

I tried this recipe and it was AWESOME! I didn't bother with the glaze and they were still the best cookies I've ever had

[@nikolehiggins2693]

Thanks for all the bakes!

[@tildessmoo]

You were only missing baking soda, not baking powder. Baking powder has a mix of acid and base to produce gas for leavening, but baking soda on its own is usually added to adjust the pH, which for baked goods tends to have an effect on the texture and browning.

[@Ordolph]

That's false, baking soda provides leavening, just later in the cooking process than baking powder. Baking soda decomposes into CO2 when it's heated, not just when you mix it with acid.

[@tildessmoo]

@@Ordolph Fine, so it produces much less leavening and is almost entirely used to raise pH, because the decomposition reaction produces half as much CO2 as the neutralization reaction, and one of the decomposition products is sodium carbonate, which is still a base. Excuse me for talking about the main mechanism behind the difference between Nate's expectations and reality in a simplified way so I don't have to explain the complex relationships between a dozen or so chemical reactions occurring in a cookie as it bakes. 🙄 Does that mean you want me to point out that sodium bicarbonate doesn't actually decompose into carbon dioxide at 80°C, but into carbon dioxide, sodium carbonate, and water? If you meant to make a gentle correction and this seems like an overly aggressive reply, try not starting your comment with something as openly confrontational as "this is false." It may be false in the boolean sense, but in the real world it's what we call a simplification, which generally only needs correcting if someone requests more detail. From one overly-pedantic asshole to another, learn to tell the difference between simplified and incorrect (and, yes, the difference is often subtle context, it takes some practice) and you'll be both happier and more well-liked. And I'm not just talking about the internet.

[@benjaelee]

@@tildessmoo bro wrote a whole lab report on why the other dude was wrong 💀

[@tildessmoo]

@@benjaelee Nah, just on why correcting me the way they did was wrong. If they'd just said something like, "actually, there is still some leavening from baking soda breaking down when heated," I'd've just liked their comment or maybe replied with something, "yes, I was oversimplifying, but you're absolutely correct." I know it's hard to read tone in a comment, but the wording seemed too rude to go uncommented, and I even said why I thought that in case I was misinterpreting.

[@UtopssAKAPJ]

I thought baking soda and baking powder were the same thing probably because I don't use them

[@stephgilliam]

Great video, but a quick note that might help you the next time you make these: use an ice cream scoop to portion out the little cookie dough balls. It's a lot easier to get the dough out than squishing it out of a measuring spoon.

[@jesterj63]

Thanks Nate, made them today, they're pretty good!

[@Sam-nc9zp]

2:07 you spray the measuring utensil with baking spray of some sort and then you measure it, you can also do it with anything else you want to measure thats sticky, honey, for instance

[@colinteckam]

I’m not sure if anyone has said this yet, but, if you put the cookie dough in the fridge for maybe 10 minutes before baking, the cookies might have risen a little more because of the butter and fats cooling down and solidifying again. But as always I love watching these no matter what

[@nikkiewhite476]

Spices are finicky, basic or brand there most important thing is how old it is. The older they are the less flavor you get. The best think to do is get whole spices and grind them in an electric coffee grinder. The fresher the whole spices means more flavor and the less it will lose sitting in your cupboard. Nate an awesome trick for molasses, honey, peanut butter or any other sticky ingredient: Grease your measuring spoon/cup with the same fat in the recipe or a spray oil. Once you go to dump it out it will just slide right out!

[@sarahb9240]

Thanks for the recipe! They look yummy!

[@canihelpyou4206]

Cookie dough without baking soda/powder can be rolled and dipped in pancake batter for deep frying if you ever forget it or don't have it

[@suspiciousllama385]

Merry Christmas from Texas y'all

[@robylove9190]

Happy holidays, Nate.

[@keeperofthegood]

Nate, I may have suggested this before, odds are good I did, but there is more to sugar than just sugar. From processed white, to processed dark brown, from "in the raw" to demerara (same but different), and then there are agar, palm, jaggary etc sugars. And that's the sugar. Then you can also get many more types of molasses than just fancy or dog food (black strap), there are fluid sweet molasses like Egyptian to savory thick dark like Treacle.

[@UtahSustainGardening]

Grandma's and Brer Rabbit are owned by the same company and as near as I can tell are the exact same molasses.

[@brookee2019]

I’d love to see a brand vs basic for EQUIPMENT. Like make the same exact chocolate chip cookies, but one with a wooden spoon/fork and the other with a kitchen aid/cookie scoop

[@lettersnstuff]

the reason the half teaspoon of baking soda makes such a big difference in color is because the Maillard reaction is impacted by ph level. bases accelerate the reaction while acids slow it down

[@h7opolo]

5:59 another difference is that Ceylon cinnamon doesn't have the neurotoxic compound in it that Saigon cinnamon does.

[@umbrellacorp.]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Nate. 🎄🎁🎉

[@lanticocean]

Merry Christmas Nate 🎄

[@ExperimentsOfThought]

Next test: expired spices vs fresh spices

[@fomfom9779]

The heat from baking drives off a lot of the oils/flavor of many spices. That includes vanilla. The differences between lower and higher priced spices likely would be more apparent in recipes where little heat is involved. Like ice cream.

[@curtischase6904]

I have seen that in many recipes, beef tallow can be used in place of butter, 1:1 ratio. You should try making a cake, cookies, brownies or something but use beef tallow instead of butter/shortening. And it may be worth doing 3 batches instead of just 2. So you can do one with butter, one with shortening, and one with tallow, as shortening can be used in place of butter usually.

[@UKGtrotter2k]

Molasses is basically the same when it gets pumped out of a tanker and when they steam clean the tanks on ships the excess molasses is then used in BBQ brickets.

[@joellewatkins5528]

I love a good ginger cookie. One thing I will say is they have a huge feast different as they age. So the one you baked may have had an advantage.

[@eskadrille]

Love your videos, keep up the good work 🐱

[@alexanderdumas123]

If you ever want to do a savory 'Cheap v. Expensive'/'Brand v. Basic' might I suggest; French Canadian tourtière, a meat pie that is usually served on Christmas Eve.

[@matthewtarvin3675]

Early gang. Happy holidays, Nate!

[@PurpleBox89]

Well, when a recipe slaps, it slaps hard regardless of ingredients, I suppose. Merry Christmas, Nate!

[@drawnfromflames7007]

I do enjoy the tests with cheapest and most expensive, so much better to see a bigger diffrence if there would be one

[@Lucifurion]

To measure anything like molasses or honey get yourself some metal measuring spoons and a cup of boiling hot water. Soak your spoon in the boiling hot water & then measure your molasses or honey as quickly as possible, do not dry the spoon first. If you've done it right it should just slide right out of the spoon leaving minimal residue.

[@kevinolive]

If you want the ginger to really pop, use fresh ginger instead of ground

[@randygreene5977]

With spices it is not how much they cost but how fresh they are. I get mine at the spice house. What you get in the store you dont know how old they are.

[@huuua2]

Merry Christmas!

[@blackmagehedonist]

Organic vs Conventional ingredients of same/similar quality could be interesting. I personally think the organic items taste better, but I am curious if others would agree or disagree with my observation.

[@ajf6791]

These are my favorite videos ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@PinkTigger33]

Bottom line for me: cookies are cookies and they are all going to be good, unless they are durian. That is the only cookie I haven't liked. I don't sift. I use a whisk to stir the flour up first then spoon it into a cup and level off. If I have to get rid of tiny lumps, I use a larger version of what you have there or a splatter screen over a big bowl. Those sifters take too much hand/finger effort when you have arthritis.

[@TonyDYT]

Try an expensive tools vs basic, like all clad pan vs cheapo Walmart, dollar store spatula vs some other high end, your knives vs kiwi. See if they make the job easier and faster, or able to last longer, and if the recipes taste better.

[@brad885]

daughter and I make a lot of cookies. cheap ingredients other than the butter and the chocolate chips/frosting. we're also using home grown eggs. flour, salt, and baking powder/soda should be identical across the board.

[@Pxsdaemon]

Great recipe! Very similar to my Gingersnap recipe (minus allspice, vanilla, and a couple other things)Recommend doing a blind vote on scratch paper with your friends before the crowd vote as people tend to unintentionally influence one another.

[@tomroeder7348]

Very nice

[@Nyasziah]

This has quickly become one of my fav series to watch... I also thought the spices would make a significant difference. The results of these taste tests are always interesting. 🤔🙃

[@rickydona919]

11:08 Harvey Whippleman siting

[@MobiusGT]

can you try this again with double the spices in both batches?

[@TheWeltandmelt]

Maybe try multiple recipes of the same thing and compare them against each other, like 2 different recipes of chocolate chip cookies for example.

[@capitalhillproductions9790]

I think for the more "expensive" i would use a European butter for the higher fat content...i would have used whole cloves and whole cinnamon and warmed them up to release it's oils and then ground them and use fresh grated ginger.

[@hobbitguy1420]

another recipe test recommendation: buy a bunch of whole spices, make the recipe with all freshly-ground (like with a coffee grinder) spices vs. all pre-ground.

[@ProfSaxby]

Hey, could you leave those spices on your shelf for six or twelve months? Maybe the expensive ones will last longer and still taste spicy..

[@spokehedz]

Hot take: IMO you don't need to sift flour if you shake the whole container beforehand. I have an airtight container, and I just give it a few good upside-downs, and i just scoop. I get that 'lumps' and 'clumps' might happen, but that usually happens much further down the line in baking/cooking. Save yourself some washing of a sieve with a light dusting of flour on it for no reason. IMO. $.02 (Yes I know he is scooping, but just stir it in the bowl is also fine.) Also, the Nutmeg Debate can END right now: It is way better. There is no contest, because as the 'nut' it will last a DECADE or more. Cheaper too, overall, by weight. You can get a huge container of them for $10 and it will be an almost-but-not-guaranteed Lifetime amount. And a microplane is cheap now. Under $10 so that should be done and dusted.

[@underourrock]

You can mix baking soda into the dough. Still a good idea to remake the batch but you could have recovered the whole first batch as well.

[@janApen]

Believe it or not but brown sugar is just white with molasses. Molasses is a byproduct of refining sugar and they just add it back in after the fact to make what you buy (at least from what I have heard). So to store brown sugar more effectively you can just keep them desperate and mix them yourself due to less clumping issues with white sugar then brown (in my experience).

[@Zatbag88]

Nate's three step cooking show. Step 1: gather ingredients Step 2: mix Step 3: add fire

[@Goddywap]

Love these videos

[@noneyabidness9644]

It's probably been 3 years since I've had a cookie...I can't have sugar. This is making me hungry.

[@cubbycreates]

Awesome Video

[@geizzlyandro]

I know it sounds like there will be no difference, But what about ready mixed box cake ( Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Pillsbury ) or one I can't think of with cheap and brand oil and water I love this compare stuff

[@brianhbinesh]

More expensive doesn't mean more better lol

[@pallasproserpina4118]

i think the point of the series is to test that

[@clementinefillianore715]

a tip, when it comes to spices, fancy = as fresh as possible and you make it yourself, mix it yourself. not a week, not a month, if its dry spice, freshly dried would be best. BUT it depends of what type of dry spice, cinammon would have longer shelf life compared to most dry spice, toast it crush it with mortal and pastel use that for you cookies, its just incomparable to store bought famous brands nor some spice put into a plastic container slap it for display at a supermarket., there should be some store that sells spices and its a specialty. if you have to buy brands, oversea brand are your best bet, you don't make the best chili oil by using U.S chili flake sold in a supermarket, no you buy them from china or korea, or buy dried chilli, and process them into chili flake yourself and use that as a base for your chili oil. Point is, source is what matter not brand when it comes to spices.

[@creepycreepersthekingofcre3379]

I wish I had a custom knife that you make I think there all cool

[@Aberrful]

I'd be interested to see a breakdown of single ingredients. Like for example pick a recipe that highlights cinnamon and then do three identical batches that use Cheap Brand, Common/well known Brand, and Expensive Brand.

[@CatsT.M]

Something that would be interesting is only changing the spices...Huh, I guess that will not matter? (added after the taste test) The best way to measure molassas is probably either just dump in About what you think is correct or warm it up to be more liquid. The reason it says "freshly ground" nutmeg is because, things like nutmeg, peppercorns, and (I think) cinnamon start to lose flavour after being ground.* *You can test that by buying pre-ground peppercorns and fresh ones and just eating a raw peppercorn whole and compare it to the pre-ground stuff.

[@leefisher6366]

5:57 - Types of Cinnamon that I know of include Saigon Cinnamon, Zygon Cinnamon, Cylon Cinnamon, Ceylon Cinnamon and Paul Sinha. Three references here.

[@vcandrewsfan12]

Try a brand vs basic curry chicken or curry dish. I would love a comparison between the difference in cost between the spices in a spice heavy dish.

[@Jfresh55]

Just want to let you know that you are amazing

[@TheRealAlpha2]

As someone with a complicated history with sugar I'm curious about recipes using sugar substitutes like monk fruit or coconut sugar and whether they're as good as the real thing.

[@ShadedOne_]

I'd like to see an experiment comparing brown sugar to white sugar plus molasses. Brown sugar is basically sugar with molasses in it so does it make a difference in the recipe if you use white sugar and add molasses to it or get the brown sugar straight from the store?

[@andrewcopple7075]

I think there's value in understanding that the spices are far more important in the pumpkin pie than in these cookies.

[@electricsoldier1]

Yay

[@The_Razielim]

makes sense that you'd associate cloves with pickle juice, since most "standard" pickling spice blends have cloves in them.

[@clueyman4720]

You should do a pot pie sometime. That'd be cool

[@sarahdavis2372]

For this recipe, you should measure the flour and then sift. If a recipe says flour, sifted that is the proper method. However, if it says sifted flour, then you sift first and measure second.

[@SeinFreak]

I made a chocolate cheesecake recently, and sprung for the pricier ingredients for the cream cheese, chocolate, and real vanilla extract. It turned out great, but now I'm thinking it may not have been worth it lol

[@lordmysticlaw1991]

1:16 That's every recipe if you ✨️don't care✨️ enough

[@readtherealanthonyfaucibyr6444]

Try buttermilk biscuits soon!

[@penni006]

Well I'm a week late but to answer your question about brown sugar. Most brown sugar is just white sugar with some molasses added back in. So since both are in this recipe adding brown sugar would be redundant. In fact when a recipe calls for brown sugar rather than buying it I drop molasses into the sugar and mix it until I get the desired color. If you want to test that to see if there's a difference I'm all here for it.

[@carolynwallace458]

Do a most recognizable brand pumpkin pie vs the most expensive pumpkin pie and see if that changes the outcome

[@dauntlessmmm4954]

Try Costco spices next! They are the best, I won’t use anyone else’s Vanilla extract!

[@Arob4343]

Biscuits and gravy OR/AND chicken and dumplings I’d like to see both recipes

[@stephaniehnotme]

When sifting flour you measure your compacted amount, then sift into your bowl.

[@michaelq4965]

It is my belief that generally recipes will say Sifted Flour or Flour, Sifted to denote if you should sift before or after measuring.

[@DeckerBlueray]

McCormick spices get more turnover on the store shelves. Freshness can greatly effect the taste of spices.

[@SaucedTech]

Pasta sauce next! Use Walmart canned vs Cento!

[@kosoricluka]

If you want a richer spicier result, put more spices in... On another note, egg quality does impact food a lot. I've always found that the cheap eggs have a pretty bland taste compared to free range organic ones and same for milk. And I'm usually someone that goes for the cheaper stuff.

[@bvoyelr]

Title: "Holiday cookies" First 5 seconds of the video: "Christmas cookies"

[@TheNukedNacho]

I think 6 batches would've been interesting. Brand vs Basic with the corresponding glaze Brand vs Basic with swapped glazes Brand vs Basic with no glaze

[@MazzyJC]

Did you use cassia in one and Cinnamon in the other one. I don't remember you saying how much they cost. Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 Nate

[@solanumtinkr8280]

I wonder if fresh ingredients would have made a bigger difference. Some times Brand just usess simialr stuff if it comes packed the same way

[@mcdudette]

You should do a cheap vs expensive 5 course dinner.

[@lwmartinez]

Next time you work with something so thick as the Molasses spray your spoon with some oil, that will make it fly out again

[@duckdog8052]

The best way to measure viscous things such as honey, molasses and certain oils is the pampered chef wet/dry measuring cup. Why does Alton Brown always have to be right?!?