Cookies formulated from fresh okara using starch, soy flour and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose have high quality and nutritional value

•Fiber-enhanced cookies were developed using fresh okara.•Texture improvers starch, soy flour and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were evaluated.•Okara cookie dough containing HPMC was the most elastic dough with no cutting.•Okara cookies containing soy flour and HPMC had the lowest water activity.•Incorporating fresh okara into cookies may contribute to a more nutritious product.

Okara is a nutritious byproduct of tofu manufacturing. To develop okara cookie using fresh okara, cookies were baked using only okara (O) or okara with additives: starch (OS), soy flour (OF) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (OH). OH dough had the highest water holding capacity value at 147.8%, followed by OF (88.6%), OS (77.6%) and O (46.5%) dough. OH dough was also the most elastic dough with no cutting when it was extended. The sensory panel scored the additive-added cookies 1.5 (OS) to 2.8 (OF and OH) times higher than O cookie with regard to hardness, crispiness and chewiness. During the 7-day storage, OF and OH cookies had a lower water activity (0.50-0.69) compared to the O cookie (0.82-0.87); however, OS cookie had a similar water activity (0.78-0.85) to the O cookie. The OF and OH cookies had higher hardness value than OS and O cookies during storage. Based on the results, the additives held the water content of fresh okara during the production of okara cookies; further, the additives allow the formulation of healthier snack foods.