Cookie dough becoming a mainstream dessert
Cookie dough is becoming so popular among consumers that it is becoming a stand-alone, mainstream dessert – a move up from being a product most commonly used as an ice cream and frozen inclusion, according to leading confectioner and inclusions producer, Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe).
Used in ice cream since it originated in around 1984, cookie dough has become one of the top five flavour variants globally. In response, Pecan Deluxe Candy has trebled its cookie dough production capacity in Europe as part of a £multi-million investment programme.
Graham Kingston, Pecan Deluxe EMEA managing director, explained why cookie dough is so popular: “Just the raw nature of it. You can taste the real butter, and the texture of sugar granules in the mouth make for happy reminiscing over days licking the remnants from the mixing bowl when making cookies at home. Nostalgia is one thing but the product from a textural perspective in ice cream means it’s an ingredient that consumers have fun digging in for.”
Pecan Deluxe is echoing these trends with its cookie dough, which can be eaten raw due to highly rigorous production standards and controls. For the same reasons it can be blended into milkshakes and sprinkled on desserts, amongst many other applications. The size of the dough pieces makes them easy to both handle and process, such as when baking into skillet cookie and hot cookie dough desserts. The inclusions company is helping to fuel demand in niche outlets such as dessert parlours and artisan bakers, by supplying cookie dough pieces in smaller quantities.
The versatility of cookie dough is also gaining momentum in an increasing number of other indulgent food items. It is available in bakery, snacking and confectionery products, including chocolate bars, biscuits and bite-size pieces, and as a baked dessert in restaurants and fast food chains worldwide.
Graham Kingston predicts cookie dough improving on its current place of fifth bestselling ice cream variant and line extensions will be introduced such as brownie batter/dough, which Pecan Deluxe is already manufacturing across all three of its facilities in the US, UK and Thailand. New applications within soft serve ice cream in major QSR chains and new and unique cookie dough variants will be introduced as it consolidates its position as a mainstream ingredient/component.
Pecan Deluxe’s range of cookie dough flavours include chocolate chip, plain and double chocolate, but the company can create bespoke flavours and products for customers. The R&D department anticipates market trends and develops new ingredients to suit, frequently working alongside manufacturers to develop inventive products tailormade to meet their requirements and consumer demand.
