Eating raw cookie dough is delicious, but can eating expired cookie dough make you sick? Let’s take a closer look at the safety and risks of eating expired cookie dough.
Quick Answer
It’s generally not recommended to eat expired cookie dough. While the risk is low, expired cookie dough may contain harmful bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. The eggs in cookie dough present the greatest risk when raw and past expiration. To enjoy cookie dough safely, make sure it hasn’t expired and contains heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs.
Does Cookie Dough Expire?
Yes, cookie dough does expire. The shelf life of refrigerated cookie dough is around 2-3 months. Cookie dough contains ingredients like eggs, milk, and butter that can spoil after time. Here are some signs that cookie dough has expired:
- Mold growth
- Unusual appearance or texture
- Sour smell
- Past the expiration date printed on packaging
If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to throw out expired cookie dough. Eating expired cookie dough increases your risk of food poisoning.
Dangers of Eating Expired Cookie Dough
Eating expired cookie dough is risky because it can contain harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Here are some of the dangers:
Salmonella
Raw eggs used in cookie dough present a risk of salmonella infection. Salmonella bacteria can survive refrigeration and multiply over time as cookie dough expires. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.
E. coli
Expired cookie dough made with raw flour may contain E. coli bacteria. Flour is a raw agricultural product that is not treated to kill pathogens. E. coli causes severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Listeria
Listeria bacteria can grow in refrigerated cookie dough as it ages. Listeria causes fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. It primarily poses a risk to pregnant women and their fetuses.
Staph Aureus
Staph aureus bacteria produce toxins that can cause food poisoning. If cookie dough is mishandled during preparation and storage, staph aureus may multiply as it expires.
How to Tell if Cookie Dough is Bad
Checking for signs of spoilage is important to determine if cookie dough has gone bad. Here are some ways to tell if cookie dough is unsafe to eat:
- Mold: Mold growing on cookie dough is a clear sign it has expired. Mold species can produce toxic chemicals.
- Sliminess: A slimy texture or appearance indicates bacterial overgrowth.
- Off smell: Expired cookie dough may smell sour or unpleasant.
- Discoloration: Changes in color from the original dough may signify spoilage.
- Expired date: If the use-by or sell-by date has passed, cookie dough should be discarded.
When in doubt, remember the old saying “When in doubt, throw it out.” Don’t take risks with expired cookie dough.
Does Cooked Expired Cookie Dough Cause Illness?
Thorough cooking can destroy bacteria present in expired cookie dough. Bringing the dough up to an internal temperature of 165°F for at least 15 seconds should kill pathogens. However, there are a few risks to consider:
- Bacteria may have produced heat-stable toxins that cooking cannot destroy.
- Mold species may impart toxins that remain after baking.
- Off flavors can persist even after cooking spoiled cookie dough.
For these reasons, it’s still best to avoid cooking and eating expired cookie dough when possible.
Can You Get Sick from Eating Edible Cookie Dough?
Edible cookie doughs sold in stores are designed to be safely eaten raw. These products undergo processing to eliminate foodborne illness risks, such as:
- Using pasteurized eggs
- Heating flour to kill E. coli
- Adding ingredients to inhibit bacterial growth
As long as edible cookie dough is not expired, it should be safe to eat without baking. However, it’s still important to check expiration dates and look for signs of spoilage before eating.
How Long Does Cookie Dough Last in the Fridge?
Refrigeration extends the shelf life of cookie dough. Properly stored in the fridge, cookie dough typically lasts:
- Refrigerator cookie dough: 2-3 months
- Freezer cookie dough: 6-12 months
For optimal freshness and food safety, use refrigerated cookie dough within the printed expiration date. Portion cookie dough and wrap tightly before freezing for longer term storage.
Tips for Storing Cookie Dough
Follow these storage tips to help keep cookie dough safe and prevent premature spoilage:
- Refrigerate dough immediately after making.
- Divide into portions to limit temperature changes from opening.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap or airtight containers.
- Don’t store cookie dough at room temperature.
- Label packages with dates for easy tracking.
- Freeze for long term storage up to 12 months.
Can You Freeze Expired Cookie Dough?
Freezing cannot reverse spoilage or make expired cookie dough safe to eat again. Even frozen, bacteria and mold can remain viable in expired dough. Additionally, the quality likely has already deteriorated.
Should You Make Cookie Dough with Eggs?
Using raw eggs in homemade cookie dough presents a higher safety risk. If you want to sample unbaked dough safely, there are a few options:
- Use pasteurized eggs instead of raw eggs when making dough.
- Substitute an egg substitute like Egg Beaters.
- Omit eggs entirely, though this affects the texture.
- Buy edible ready-to-eat cookie dough with treated flour and eggs.
If using raw eggs, pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals should avoid sampling unbaked dough.
Pasteurized vs. Unpasteurized Eggs in Cookie Dough
Pasteurized eggs eliminate the risk of salmonella:
- Pasteurized: Heated to destroy potential Salmonella bacteria. Safe for raw cookie dough.
- Unpasteurized: Not heat treated. May contain Salmonella and pose food poisoning risk.
Pasteurized eggs can be used without baking the dough. But unpasteurized eggs should only be consumed fully cooked.
Should You Make Cookie Dough with Heat-Treated Flour?
Heat-treated flour reduces potential E. coli contamination:
- Heat-treated: Heated to kill E. coli bacteria from raw flour. Safer for eating unbaked.
- Untreated: Raw flour that may contain pathogenic E. coli bacteria.
Consuming raw dough with untreated flour is more risky. Using heat-treated flour provides an added layer of safety.
Can You Eat Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Raw?
There are a few risks to consider with raw chocolate chip cookie dough:
- Raw eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria.
- Raw flour may be contaminated with E. coli.
- Chocolate chips may temper the dough during baking.
To safely eat chocolate chip cookie dough raw, use pasteurized eggs, heat-treated flour, and limit chocolate chips. Edible cookie doughs address these risks during processing.
What Ingredients Make Cookie Dough Unsafe?
Here are the highest risk ingredients that make cookie dough unsafe to eat raw:
- Raw eggs – May contain pathogenic Salmonella bacteria.
- Raw flour – Potential E. coli contamination from wheat.
- Raw milk – Unpasteurized milk may harbor Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli.
Safer alternatives include pasteurized eggs, heat-treated flour, and pasteurized milk products.
Is It Safe to Eat Cookie Dough with Weed in It?
Cannabis cookie dough brings additional risks:
- Overconsumption due to the raw dough form.
- Foodborne illness if dough contains raw eggs/flour.
- Impaired judgement potentially leading to unsafe food handling.
- Adverse effects like paranoia or anxiety.
Consuming cannabis cookie dough raw poses safety risks. It’s best to fully bake weed cookie dough for food safety and controlled potency.
Can You Get Salmonella from Licking Spoon/Bowl Used for Cookie Dough?
Yes, it’s possible to get salmonella from licking a spoon or bowl used to make raw cookie dough. Salmonella bacteria can spread from the raw egg-containing dough onto preparation surfaces and utensils. Proper cleaning and sanitization is required to prevent indirect contamination and illness.
Can You Substitute Applesauce for Eggs in Cookie Dough?
Yes, applesauce can substitute for eggs in cookie dough recipes. As a binding agent, applesauce replaces each egg with 1/4 cup applesauce. The finished baked cookies turn out moist and chewy. Raw applesauce cookie dough is safer without egg risks. But it lacks the rich egg flavor of traditional dough.
Pasteurized Eggs Brands for Safe Eating Raw
Here are some recommended pasteurized egg brands that are safe for raw consumption:
- Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs
- Egg Beaters Original
- Carol’s Crackin’ Fresh Pasteurized Eggs
- Wilcox Farms Pasteurized Eggs
- Kirkland Signature Pasteurized Eggs
Check the label for “pasteurized” to ensure the eggs have been heat treated to kill potential Salmonella bacteria.
Edible Cookie Dough Brands
These brands offer edible ready-to-eat cookie dough safe for raw consumption:
- Nestlé Toll House Edible Cookie Dough
- Pillsbury Ready to Eat Cookie Dough
- Annie’s Homegrown Edible Cookie Dough
- Trader Joe’s Cookie Dough Bites
- Betty Crocker Edible Cookie Dough
These doughs are processed with heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs. They can be eaten without baking.
Should You Bake Expired Cookie Dough?
It is not recommended to bake and eat expired cookie dough. Baking may reduce risks, but cannot guarantee safety:
- Bacteria can produce heat-stable toxins.
- Mold can impart lasting toxins.
- Off-flavors may persist after baking.
- Foodborne illness is still possible.
Discard expired cookie dough. The most prudent option is to avoid eating raw or baked cookie dough past printed expiration dates.
Conclusion
Eating expired cookie dough is generally risky and not advised. While the chance of illness is low, expired dough may harbor dangerous bacteria that cause foodborne disease. To enjoy cookie dough safely, use heat-treated ingredients like pasteurized eggs and follow expiration dates closely. Discard expired dough instead of taking chances with raw or baked cookie dough. When preparing cookie dough at home, take steps to minimize risks of contamination and spoilage. With proper handling and storage, cookie dough can be enjoyed without getting sick by being aware of food safety.