The Real Reason You Shouldn't Eat Raw Cookie Dough (2024)

Raw cookie dough is tasty, but unfortunately — it does pose a very real risk of food poisoning.

By

Novella Lui

The Real Reason You Shouldn't Eat Raw Cookie Dough (1)

Novella Lui is a registered dietitian, writer, and editor who combines her passion for providing nutrition and health education with food and culture by creating engaging and practical consumer-focused content. A foodie at heart, she loves to seek new flavors, explore global cuisines, and look for hidden food gems.

Published on May 3, 2023

The Real Reason You Shouldn't Eat Raw Cookie Dough (2)

At some point or another, most of us have been warned against eating raw cookie dough. Many assume the risks are due to the raw eggs, but many home cooks don't realize that uncooked flour presents food safety risks as well. The recent outbreak of Salmonella linked to flour in 11 US states is a good example of why you might think twice about consuming cookie dough containing uncooked flour. Read on to uncover why eating raw cookie dough is not advisable and what makes certain cookie doughs on the market safe to enjoy raw.

Why It’s Unsafe to Eat Raw Cookie Dough

Raw cookie dough is unsafe to eat because raw eggs could potentially be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria like E.coli and because flour is raw and unpasteurized. What many consumers don’t know is that E.coli and Salmonella could also be present in their flour. According to the CDC, these pathogenic bacteria can contaminate the grain before harvest or the flour during processing.

Since flour is not heat-treated, any flour and baking mixes you buy could be contaminated with these bacteria. While heat kills the bacteria, eating raw cookie dough (and similar mixtures, like cake batter) poses risks of food poisoning.

E. coli and Salmonella can cause food poisoning symptoms like nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea. These unpleasant symptoms can last from several hours to days. Some people may experience milder symptoms and will recover on their own, while others — like those with a compromised immune system, young children, and adults over 65 years old — may get very sick or even experience life-threatening symptoms that require medical attention.

The good news is that heat destroys these germs — as long as you bake the cookie dough to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F. Cookies are safely edible when they have lost their shiny sheen.

How to Identify "Safe" Raw Cookie Dough

If you are a cookie dough lover, you can find various edible raw cookie dough options on the market — look for brands that state "safe to eat raw" on the packaging. These cookie doughs use heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs (or no eggs) to ensure the doughs are safe to eat raw. In fact, oftentimes, these doughs are intended to be consumed raw instead of baked into cookies.

How Can I Make Edible Cookie Dough?

You can also make your own delicious edible cookie dough with our collection of edible cookie dough recipes. We advise you to purchase commercial heat-treated flour, as home pasteurization may only destroy some of the bacteria present.

As with all food prep, be sure to follow safe food handling practices to prevent cross-contamination and spreading germs. These safe practices include keeping raw ingredients away from cooked foods, washing your hands, and cleaning/sanitizing your bowls, utensils, and countertops after handling raw ingredients.

The Bottom Line

Don't let your love for cookie dough put your health at risk. It is best to steer clear of raw cookie dough due to the potential contamination of disease-causing bacteria in raw flour. If you love indulging in cookie dough, look for brands that state they are safe to eat raw. You can also make your own edible cookie dough at home with commercial heat-treated flour.

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The Real Reason You Shouldn't Eat Raw Cookie Dough (2024)

FAQs

The Real Reason You Shouldn't Eat Raw Cookie Dough? ›

The bottom line

Why shouldn't you eat raw cookie dough? ›

It's not easy to resist the temptation to taste that raw cookie dough. But that's not a safe thing to do. Raw cookie dough contains uncooked flour and eggs. These have the potential to cause food poisoning and bacterial infections like salmonella.

What happens if you eat raw dough? ›

Uncooked flour and raw eggs can contain germs that can make you sick. Tasting or eating raw (unbaked) dough or batter can put you at risk for food poisoning. Follow the recipe or package directions for cooking or baking. Wash your hands, bowls, utensils, and countertops after handling raw flour, eggs, or dough.

Is Nestle cookie dough safe to eat raw? ›

Nestlé has adapted to consumers' Y desires for a safe-to-eat raw product. This led to the development of an edible cookie dough, which is sold ready to eat without the risk of foodborne illness. This innovation allows individuals to safely enjoy the taste of Toll House cookie dough straight from the package.

Is it safe to eat cookie dough in ice cream? ›

The good news though is that most manufacturers of pre-made commercial cookie dough use a heat treatment for flour and a pasteurization process for eggs which are known source of Salmonella. So go ahead and enjoy your cookie dough ice cream and other cookie dough treats offered at your local treat shops.

Is Pillsbury cookie dough safe to eat raw? ›

With refrigerated cookie dough from Pillsbury, you can have warm, just-baked cookies in minutes! Pillsbury Cookie Dough products are now safe to eat raw! It's the same cookie dough you've always loved, but now we've refined our process and ingredients so it's safe to eat the dough before baking.

What to do after eating raw cookie dough? ›

Symptoms to watch for if you have consumed raw dough products include stomach cramps, fever, vomiting or diarrhea. If you or a family member experiences any of these symptoms, contact a doctor immediately.

Is it safe to eat undercooked cookies? ›

Is it safe to eat an undercooked or slightly undercooked cookie? Well, not really, no. The issue depends on the ingredients used. For example, cookies containing eggs or other ingredients that can be harmful if not fully cooked should be avoided.

Can you eat Betty Crocker cookie mix raw? ›

No-Bake Bites Cookie Dough are safe to eat raw because we use heat treated flour.

Are raw eggs safe to eat? ›

Eating raw eggs can be potentially dangerous if they contain Salmonella. About one in 20,000 eggs does. Salmonella is a bacteria commonly found in food that causes diarrhea, fever, cramps, and vomiting.

What store bought cookie dough is safe to eat raw? ›

No, only specially marked Pillsbury TM refrigerated cookie dough products are ready to bake or eat raw. Look for our "safe to eat raw" seal to find the products that are safe to eat raw and always follow the manufacturer's preparation instructions on the back of pack.

How long can edible cookie dough be left out? ›

We use only shelf-stable ingredients for our cookie dough. As an additional assurance, we have had our dough tested by a certified food lab for shelf stability. Refrigeration can extend the product's shelf life, but the dough will remain safe at room temperature for up to one week after opening.

Does Toll House cookie dough contain eggs? ›

CONTAINS: EGG, WHEAT, MILK, SOY. MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS, WALNUTS, ALMONDS, MACADAMIA NUTS, PECANS. *Please refer to the product label for the most accurate nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information. Product label may be found on corrugate box or on an insert inside the box.

Why is cookie dough safe to eat now? ›

There are even recipes such as The Washington Post's Monster cookie dough. The key to preventing bacterial contamination is heat-treating the flour, which you can do in your microwave, and using pasteurized eggs or no eggs. Commercial cookie dough ice cream is typically safe, too.

Is the cookie dough in Ben and Jerry's Raw? ›

All of the milk, cream, and eggs used in our products are pasteurized during the production process. Pasteurized eggs are also used in all of our add-ins, such as raw cookie dough or brownie batter. There's also no need for concern about alcohol or caffeine content in any of our flavors.

Is it OK to eat cold cookie dough? ›

However, there is some good news; commercial cookie dough, like that found in cookie dough ice cream and packaged, refrigerated cookie dough, is safe to nibble on because it has been pasteurized and heat-treated. So, the bottom line is this — don't eat the cookie dough you make in your kitchen.

What happens if you eat undercooked cookies? ›

Well, not really, no. The issue depends on the ingredients used. For example, cookies containing eggs or other ingredients that can be harmful if not fully cooked should be avoided. Raw or undercooked eggs can contain salmonella, bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Can you eat dry cookie mix? ›

The raw cookie dough risk

coli and salmonella, so eating it can lead to food poisoning. The only way to eliminate this risk, Blanchard points out, is to bake standard cookie dough at a high temperature.

What are the chances of getting salmonella from raw eggs? ›

Eggs are washed and sanitized at the processing plant. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. Persons infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting.

Is cookie dough meant to be raw? ›

Consuming raw cookie dough increases the risk of foodborne illnesses. Using pasteurised eggs and heat-treated flour may reduce these risks.

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