The Science of Baking Cookies

When you think of STEM, you might picture labs, robots, or rocket launches. But one of the best examples of science, technology, engineering, and math happens in the most ordinary of places: your kitchen.

Take baking cookies. At first glance, it seems simple—mix ingredients, pop them in the oven, and wait for that delicious smell. But look a little closer, and you’ll see chemistry in action.

Butter melts and creates steam pockets inside the dough that make cookies soft and chewy. Baking soda and baking powder release carbon dioxide, helping dough rise. Sugars caramelize, giving that golden-brown glow and sweet, nutty flavor. Even the shape of the cookie sheet affects how heat spreads.

And math? It’s everywhere—measuring ingredients, doubling recipes, or timing the bake to avoid burnt edges.

Next time you pull a batch of cookies from the oven, you’re not just a baker—you’re a chemist, engineer, and mathematician all at once. Everyday life is full of STEM moments like this, waiting for us to notice.

What’s one everyday activity in your life where you’ve spotted science, technology, engineering, or math at school or work?

Share your example—we might be doing STEM more often than we realize!