Expensive vs Cheap Cookies: Does Ingredient Quality REALLY Matter?

Does the quality of ingredients that you use to make cookies actually make a difference when it comes to the taste of the cookies? I decided to test it out by making two batches of chocolate chip cookies, each with wildly different ingredient price points. Watch to see the results and my opinion!
COOKIE RECIPE I USED:
joyfoodsunshine.com/the-most-...
COST BREAKDOWN:
(prices based on what I paid for them/estimates)
Cheap Cookies:
Butter: $4.48 pound, $2.24 in recipe
white (granulated) sugar: $2.78/4 pounds, $0.31 in recipe
light brown sugar: $2.24/2 pounds, $0.53 in recipe
vanilla extract: $19.99/8 oz bottle, $0.83 in recipe
Eggs: $5.57/doz, $0.93 in recipe
all-purpose flour: $1.16/2 lb, $0.46 in recipe
baking soda: $0.72/lb, $0.008 in recipe
baking powder: $2.48 per canister, $0.03 in recipe
Salt: $0.54 per container, $0.002 in recipe
chocolate chips: $4.49/10 oz, $5.47 in recipe
Total cost of recipe: $10.81
$7.66 with GV chocolate chips
Expensive Cookies:
Butter: $6.52
white (granulated) sugar: $8.99/2 lb, $1.98 in recipe
light brown sugar: $7.75/1/5 lb, $2.43 in recipe
vanilla extract: $12.79 per bottle, $2.56 in recipe
Eggs: $7.99 per doz, $1.33 in recipe
all-purpose flour: $14.10/2 lb (including shipping), $5.51 in recipe
baking soda: $2.49/lb, $0.026 in recipe
baking powder: $2.99 per canister, $0.03 in recipe
sea salt: $0.23
chocolate chips: $67.89
Total cost of recipe: $88.51
PRODUCTS MENTIONED:
(some links are affiliate)
Sierra Nevada Butter: www.azurestandard.com/shop/pr...
Wholesome Cane Sugar: amzn.to/3JstmUF
Wholesome Light Brown Sugar: amzn.to/3mDO6Ql
Heilala Vanilla: amzn.to/427omfI
Hayden Mills Flour: haydenflourmills.com/products...
Celtic Sea Salt: amzn.to/3Ff2m8H
Askinosie Chocolate: askinosie.com/collections/dar...
Thrive Market Vanilla: www.tkqlhce.com/click-8823149...
VitaCost Chocolate Chips: www.vitacost.com/simple-truth...
HIGH QUALITY CHOCOLATE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE:
Brown Butter Chocolate: www.anrdoezrs.net/click-88231...
Sea Salt Dark Chocolate: theochocolate.com/sea-salt-da...
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL:
Instagram: / butteredsideupblog
Twitter: / ericaleaphotos
Facebook: / butteredsideupblog
Pinterest: / ericalea
FILMING EQUIPMENT:
(some links affiliate)
Camera: amzn.to/3rhyZZY
Lens: amzn.to/3rdDTHk
Voiceover mic: amzn.to/2MAqfzj

[@kaceynm]

I loved this experient! I hope that you do more of these (brownies, blondies, cake, etc.). I also wonder which ingredients specifically did the most to elevate the expensive cookie. My guess would be the chocolate and the butter, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong. If I could give one bit of constructive criticism, I wish that you had either used bar chocolate for both, or chips for both. Chocolate chips have stabilizers that help the keep their shape when baked, that's why they stayed in chip form in the cheaper cookie. The chopped chocolate on the other hand melted into ribbons which is why the cookie overall was flatter, and the tiny splintered pieces probably worked into the dough more. Regardless, this was a great video!❤

[@CutItOff]

Read my comment.

[@ButteredSideUp]

I think the chocolate, butter, and sugar made the biggest difference. I'll have to keep the chocolate in mind if I do another expensive vs cheap video! There's multiple factors to consider when selecting the ingredients. I wanted to choose a chocolate that was affordable as well as ethical, and those chocolate chips fit the bill. And they were pretty good! I'll have to see if I can find an ethical chocolate bar that's affordable if I do another one of these. :)

[@MysteriousBeingOfLight]

Amazing video, you deserve way more views !

[@dsrocks6905]

Generally speaking, ingredients like flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder make little to no difference from brand to brand and price to price, as long as you get the correct ingredient for what you're making. Eggs generally speaking make a very small difference and are usually handling dependent, and ingredients like butter, milk, cream, cheese, and extracts make a huge difference depending on quality

[@naomi8097]

I find King Arthur is superior to store brands

[@shannonjoseph6311]

Thank you for being so detailed and thorough

[@BB_BB_-fj5rs]

I like your hair cut you kinda look like end credit Rapunzel! 🥰

[@ButteredSideUp]

Aw, you're right!

[@anmnou]

Such a great video and really well-presented! You could be on America's Test Kitchen, so professionally done!

[@ladiejaymes]

Love this video! I've always wondered the same thing! Thank you! 💯

[@jpearce956]

This was a lot of fun!

[@eswarrior]

Y not more views damn, nice prdoduction.

[@CutItOff]

you see my comment erica?

[@peggycrowley9534]

You moaned with every bite of the expensive one. No secret what your preference was. ;-)

[@Stop-pit]

I would’ve been happy with a store brand vs name brand comparison.
Thus seemed ridiculously excessive to me.