Cookies with improved shelf life and process for preparing them

A cookie containing chips having an extended shelf life, comprising:

• a baked cookie dough containing therein a mixture of chips of different sizes, some small and some larger, said chips comprising sugar in a fat matrix, and at least some of said smaller chips are enhanced flavor chips comprising at least one added flavor composition in a concentration greater than present in the larger chips.

A process for preparing cookies containing chips having an extended shelf life, comprising:

• preparing a cookie dough;
• and
• adding to the dough a mixture of chips of different sizes, at least 30% by weight of the chips present in the dough being small and some larger chips, said larger chips being employed in an amount sufficient to provide a visual awareness that the cookies contain chips, said chips comprising sugar in a fat matrix, wherein the smaller chips have a count per pound of greater than about 7,500 and the larger chips have a count per pound of less than about 7,500, and at least some of said smaller chips are enhanced flavor chips comprising at least one added flavor composition in a concentration greater than present in the larger chips, said flavor comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of buttery flavors, vanilla flavors, cream dairy flavors, caramel-like flavors, and other flavors associated with freshness.

A cookie containing chips and having an extended shelf life, comprising:

• a baked cookie dough containing therein a mixture of chips of different sizes, at least 10% by weight of the chips present in the dough being small and some larger chips, wherein said larger chips are employed in an amount sufficient to provide a visual awareness that the cookies contain chips, said chips comprising sugar in a fat matrix, wherein the smaller chips have a count per pound of greater than about 7,500 and the larger chips have a count per pound of less than about 7,500, and at least some of said smaller chips are enhanced flavor chips comprising at least one added flavor composition in a concentration greater than present in the larger chips, said flavor comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of buttery flavors, vanilla flavors, cream dairy flavors, caramel-like flavors, and other flavors associated with freshness, and wherein the weight ratio of the average weight of the smaller chips on a number average to the weight of the larger chips on a number average is from 1:2 to 1:25.

A process for preparing cookies having an extended shelf life, the process comprising:

• preparing a cookie dough comprising at least one added flavor;
• and adding to the dough small enhanced flavor chips, said chips comprising said at least one added flavor composition in an amount effective to extend the shelf life of the cookie by migrating from the chip to the base cake portion formed by baking the dough.

A cookie containing chips having an extended shelf life, comprising:

• a continuous cookie base cake having dispersed therein small enhanced flavor chips comprising at least one flavor in a concentration greater than normally employed in flavor chips.