Ever Wonder Why We Drink Milk With Cookies?

Many of us have warm childhood memories of eating milk and cookies after returning home from school or coming in from playing in the snow, and that fondness for the combo persists into adulthood. But have you ever wondered why we're so in love with enjoying these two items in tandem? Tradition definitely has something to do with it. Cultural preconditioning has a big influence over why we favor certain food combinations, and pairing cookies with that cold, creamy dairy is a longstanding ritual that spans generations.

Though it's unknown exactly when this dynamic duo first came to be, the history of the dunk (i.e. dipping a baked item into a liquid) begins as early as ancient Rome, when people dipped wafers into wine to make them easier to chew, and sailors of the 16th century liked to soften tough crackers in coffee. The hot beverage theme would stick — before the cookie found its perfect match with milk, it was common for the baked good to accompany tea or coffee, staring in the 17th century. 

The pairing (and dunking) of milk and cookies likely became a widespread practice in the early 20th century, when refrigerators became commonplace and families were able to keep the cold dairy beverage in their homes. Milk has certainly unseated coffee and tea as the treat's go-to companion — and to further explain why the pairing is so perfect and popular, we can turn to scientific analysis.

There's some compelling science behind why we enjoy having a delicious cookie with a nice, cold glass of milk. One is that milk acts as a sort of cleansing agent for the palate, minimizing the sweet impact of the cookie. Mellowing the baked good's strong flavor makes it easier to enjoy multiple treats in one sitting, instead of getting sugar fatigue.

Another reason why milk is the perfect candidate here — compared to a beverage like juice or water — is that the dairy product is replete with emulsifiers, and so is the chocolate in your classic chip-filled cookies (or chewy pumpkin chocolate cookies). Emulsifiers are ingredients that unite normally incompatible substances (like oil and water) together. When the high fat content of a cookie combines with the dairy drink, the emulsifiers mix together and help your tongue receive the full flavor experience more quickly. This chemical interaction creates an ideal snacking experience.

Milk and cookies before bed can also be a helpful sleep aid, due to the serotonin- and melatonin-promoting effects of the tryptophan found in dairy products. All three of these natural chemicals promote better sleep and a sense of cozy relaxation. A cookie made with grains like oats or buckwheat adds even more tryptophan to the mix. Whether you're baking the best chewy chocolate cookies with agave syrup, or biting into Ina Garten's favorite cookie recipe, it's more than habit that has you reaching for a glass of milk to go with it.