What is baking soda used for in cookies?

Baking soda is a key ingredient in many cookie recipes, playing a crucial role in their texture and rise. Here's how it works:

* Leavening agent: Baking soda is a chemical leavening agent. When mixed with an acidic ingredient (like buttermilk, brown sugar, or molasses), it releases carbon dioxide gas. This gas gets trapped in the batter, creating air pockets that cause the cookies to rise and become light and fluffy.

* Tenderness: Baking soda helps to break down the gluten in flour, making the cookies more tender and less chewy.

* Spread: It promotes even spreading of the cookies on the baking sheet, ensuring a consistent shape and texture.

Without baking soda, cookies would be dense, tough, and flat.

It's important to note that baking soda requires an acidic ingredient to activate its leavening properties. If your recipe doesn't contain any acidic ingredients, you might need to use baking powder instead, which is a double-acting leavening agent that doesn't require an acidic ingredient.