Oatmeal Cherry Cookies

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

1. Vanilla + oatstop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,532 recipes

   Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).

2. Vanilla + chocolatetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together10,020 recipes

   Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).

3. Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together35,032 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

4. Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together124,287 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

5. Butter + oatstop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,939 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Butter

Creams with sugar to trap air and add richness and tender texture.

Eggs

Bind the dough and add moisture and structure as the cookies set.

Brown sugar

Adds moisture, chewiness, and caramel-like flavor and browning.

All-purpose flour

Provides the main structure that holds the cookies together as they bake.

Oats

Add chewy texture and a toasty, nutty flavor.

Dried cherries

Add chewy pockets of tart sweetness and moisture to the dough.

The step that matters