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Girls in STEM | Loretta Paginini School of Cooking & the science of baking cookies

Always remember: Cooking is chemistry!

This week's WKYC Girls in STEM 'STEMbassador' didn't just bring her scientific knowledge, but also some tasty treats!

Stephanie Paginini helps her mother Loretta run the Loretta Paginini School of Cooking in Chesterland. According to its website, it is "Ohio's premier professional and recreational culinary institute for all levels, from amateurs to professionals, from children to the young at heart."

Always remember: Cooking is chemistry!

"I was raised understanding how things cook and bake," Stephanie said. "Your ingredients that you put in, the order you put them in, and even the temperature...can make a difference.

Stephanie showed us how this can make cookies look, feel, and taste just a little bit different, and also shared with us her family's classic chocolate chip cookie recipe! You can check it out below (it makes about 20 cookies):

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups packed dark-brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; beat until combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

Using a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop (about 3 tablespoons), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden around edges but soft in the middle, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

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