I’m a chef and I swear by premade cookie dough to make delicious chocolate chip treats – but there’s a secret ingredient

A GROUP of personal chefs recommended a select list of store-bought cookie dough – but they add a secret ingredient to make them extra special.

The sought-after ingredients for these delicious cookies can be found at stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Sweet Loren’s.

Store-bought cookie dough is the quick and easy solution when you are craving freshly-made cookies.

Six professional chefs spoke to about what they would consider the best store-bought cookies.

A few of their favorites are staples at your local grocery store.

They recommended Trader Joe’s Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough as a close replica of homemade cookies.

Clare Langan, a chef, food stylist, and TV culinary producer, recommends these cookies when she’s short on time.

“[The cookies] come out looking homemade and taste pretty close, too,”  Langan told Insider.

To improve the pre-made dough, Langan suggests adding chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans, toasted hazelnuts, or potato chips to create a sweet and salty treat.

The sugar cookies at Whole Foods 365 are the personal favorite of pastry chef Ron Paprocki.

The sugar cookie dough is great for customization.

“What I really like to do is make a simple cream cheese frosting, spread it on a cooled baked cookie, and decorate it with rainbow sprinkles, an almost exact replica of the famous Funfetti sugar cookie,” Paprocki told Insider.

Chef and registered dietitian Julie Harrington recommends getting the allergen-friendly store-bought cookie dough from Sweet Loren’s.

The store offers a range of dough that is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free.

“From both a chef and registered dietitian standpoint, I would recommend Sweet Loren’s store-bought cookie dough,” Harrington told Insider.

“With a simple ingredient list, these cookies are delicious right out of the oven.

With a simple ingredient list, these cookies are delicious right out of the oven.

Chef Julie Harrington

The Nestlé Toll House cookies were recommended by multiple chefs as being the best store-bought cookies.

Chef Matt Ward recommends these cookies because of their simplicity. However, he does add extra chocolate candies to jazz up the dough.

“The pre-cut ones literally take no time at all and can curb any sweet tooth [craving] in about 15 minutes, start to finish,” Ward told Insider.

“Not to mention, when baked, they’re pretty solid cookies.”

Other chefs also love the classic chocolate chip cookie dough.

“The Nestlé chocolate chip was the most flavorful, and the dough had a very buttery [taste],” chef Alex Levin told Insider.

“The dark brown sugar, butter, and good chocolate chips are the three key things [needed] for a great cookie.

“They nailed it on all fronts.”

Another chef also suggests consumers try the brand’s sugar cookie dough.

“My mom used to make these for birthdays [when I was] growing up,” chef Alisha Ivey revealed.

“It’s a sugar cookie base rolled out into the shape of a pizza, baked, then topped with a layer of cream cheese icing and a layer of homemade strawberry jam.”