You can probably already guess the answer to this question: No, raw cookie dough is not really safe to eat. There are a few risk factors, the obvious one being raw eggs. According to the FDA, fresh eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria inside or on their shells, and it’s a common source of food poisoning in the U.S.
But I’ve eaten raw eggs and never gotten sick, you say. True, the chances of getting sick from eating raw eggs are pretty slim on an egg-by-egg basis. It’s estimated that one in 20,000 eggs is internally contaminated, and modern sanitation practices require pretty rigorous cleaning of shells before those eggs even reach your store. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely home free, and certain high-risk groups should never eat raw eggs (children younger than 5, adults older than 65 and anyone with a weakened immune system). One way you can reduce the risk is by purchasing pasteurized eggs, which are treated to kill bacteria.
Even if your eggs are safe to eat, there’s one another hidden risk: flour. Flour is a raw agricultural product, which means it’s not treated or pasteurized to kill naturally occurring bacteria (like E. coli) that can contaminate the product from harvesting to processing. (Think about it: Wheat grows on farms…animals live on farms…animals poop on farms…sorry for spoiling your fun.)