Abstract: Cookies having an extended shelf-stable soft or chewy texture throughout the cookie are prepared by coextruding an inner adherent cookie dough bakeable to a soft or chewy texture and an outer non-adherent cookie dough bakeable to a soft or chewy texture. The inner dough comprises a liquid humectant in an amount sufficient to impart a shelf-stable soft or chewy texture to the baked outer cookie dough in excess of that attainable by baking the outer dough alone to a shelf-stable soft or chewy texture of the same moisture content. The coextrudate is severed into pieces to enrobe the inner cookie dough and the pieces are baked to a moisture content of at least about 6% by weight of the cookie. The outer non-adherent cookie dough, while being bakeable to a soft chewy texture, possesses sufficient cohesiveness and firmness so as to render the coextrudate formable into cookie dough pieces on a mass scale.

Abstract: Cookies having an extended shelf-stable soft or chewy texture throughout the cookie are prepared by coextruding an inner adherent cookie dough bakeable to a soft or chewy texture and an outer non-adherent cookie dough bakeable to a soft or chewy texture. The inner dough comprises a liquid humectant in an amount sufficient to impart a shelf-stable soft or chewy texture to the baked outer cookie dough in excess of that attainable by baking the outer dough alone to a shelf-stable soft or chewy texture of the same moisture content. The coextrudate is severed into pieces to enrobe the inner cookie dough and the pieces are baked to a moisture content of at least about 6% by weight of the cookie. The outer non-adherent cookie dough, while being bakeable to a soft chewy texture, possesses sufficient cohesiveness and firmness so as to render the coexrudate formable into cookie dough pieces on a mass scale.

Abstract: Cookies having a shelf-stable plurality of textures are prepared from a composite dough comprising a filler cookie dough laminated to a casing cookie dough. The casing dough comprises a humectant in an amount greater than 25% by weight, based upon the sugar solids content of the casing dough. The filler dough comprises a humectant for imparting softness to the inner portion of the cookie. The water content of the filler dough is greater than the water content of the casing dough to facilitate control over the moisture content of the cookie. Cookies baked from dough pieces having a filler dough enrobed by a casing dough retain a firm and tender textured crumb structure on the outside and a soft textured crumb structure on the inside for extended times in proper packaging when the dough pieces are baked to an end-point moisture content of at least about 6% by weight, based upon the weight of the cookie.

Abstract: Cookies having a shelf-stable plurality of textures are prepared from a composite dough comprising a filler cookie dough laminated to a casing cooking dough. The casing dough comprises lactose and/or dextrose and less than 75% by weight sucrose, based upon the sugar solids content of the casing dough. The filler dough comprises a humectant for imparting softness or chewiness to the inner portion of the cookie. The casing dough is baked to a soft or tender textured crumb structure. The water content of the filler dough is greater than the water content of the casing dough to facilitate control over the moisture content of the cookie. Cookies baked from dough pieces having a filler dough enrobed by a casing dough retain a firm and tender textured crumb structure on the outside and a soft or chewy textured crumb structure on the inside for extended times in proper packaging when the dough pieces are baked to an end-point moisture content of at least about 6% by weight, based upon the weight of the cookie.

Abstract: Cookies having a shelf-stable plurality of textures and visually apparent flavor chips characteristic of freshly baked home-made cookies are prepared from dough pieces comprising a chewy cookie dough or filling enrobed by a crispier cookie dough. Each of the doughs of the dough pieces contain the flavor chips and upon baking at least substantially all of the pieces of the flavor chips of the crispier dough are partially visible at the surface of the cookie. The size, number, and composition of the flavor chip in each dough may be chosen to contribute to a chewy texture or a crispier texture.

Abstract: A low-melting fat, which has a solid fat index of less than 13 at 80.degree. F., and which is essentially completely liquid at about 100.degree. F., is added to cookie dough containing flavor particles, such as chocolate chips, raisins, cherries or berries, in such an amount that the low-melting fat comprises from 5 to 30 percent by weight of the total weight of fat and/or shortening in the dough. The low-melting fat reduces halo effects in the resulting cookie.

Abstract: The invention disclosed in this application relates to leavener-containing dough compositions, methods of making such compositions and baked compositions prepared therefrom having a storage-stable soft and plastic crumb matrix. The compositions comprise a flour-based dough bakeable to a chewy texture in admixture with a heat-activated leavening agent which releases effective amounts of a leavening gas when the dough reaches the activating temperature of the leavening agent during baking. The activating temperature of the leavening agent is such that the leavener is releasing effective amounts of the leavening gas at a stage during the baking of the dough at which ingredients of the dough set-up to form the crumb matrix.

Abstract: A low-melting fat, which has a solid fat index of less than 13 at 80.degree. F., and which is essentially completely liquid at about 100.degree. F., is added to cookie dough containing flavor particles, such as chocolate chips, raisins, cherries or berries, in such an amount that the low-melting fat comprises from 5 to 30 percent by weight of the total weight of fat and/or shortening in the dough. The low-melting fat reduces halo effects in the resulting cookie.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously forming individual products pieces containing filler therein and having large perforations in the top layer. A first continuous flat dough sheet is formed and transported on a conveyor belt. Portions of the filler are periodically deposited on the first dough sheet. A second continuous flat dough sheet is formed and transported on a conveyor belt of a material to which the dough of the second continuous flat dough sheet adheres in response to pressure. A device for moving cutting elements through the second dough sheet forms a multitude of holes and presses the perimeter of each dough piece therein so as to adhere to the conveyor belt. An arrangement lifts the second dough sheet off of the conveyor belt means without disturbing the cut out dough pieces adhered thereto.

Abstract: Process of continuously forming individual product pieces having filler therein and having perforations of substantial size in the top layer thereof. A first continuous flat dough sheet is formed and a natural or artificial filler is periodically deposited on the first continuous flat dough sheet, each of the deposited fillers forming a mound. A perforated second continuous flat dough sheet is placed on top of the first continuous flat dough sheet and deposits of filler thereon, thereby forming a continuous composite comprising the filler deposits enclosed between the perforated, second continuous dough sheet and the first continuous flat dough sheet. The continuous composite is divided into individual pieces, each individual piece having at least one deposit of filler enclosed between a segment of the perforated, second dough sheet and a segment of the first flat dough sheet. The individual pieces are baked and packaged.

Abstract: The method of forming flat dough pieces for producing flat perforated crackers by placing a thin continuous sheet of cracker dough on a fabric belt and cutting the dough with a die which cuts circles in the dough sheet and simultaneously presses the cut out dough sections against the fabric belt with sufficient force to cause them to adhere thereto. The die also cuts the dough sheet into longitudinal strips and scores the strips to define individual product pieces. The dough strips are lifted off the fabric belt and thus separated from the cut out dough sections which are subsequently removed from the belt by a scraping blade.