The Story of the Chocolate Chip Cookie
On Wednesday we celebrated America’s favorite cookie – the chocolate chip cookie!
In the 1930s, Ruth Wakefield invented the very first chocolate chip cookie – the Toll House Cookie. The cookie, named after she and her husband’s business – the Toll House Inn, rapidly gained popularity during WWII.
Soldiers from Massachusetts stationed abroad received Toll House Cookies in the mail, which they shared with fellow soldiers, who obviously loved them. Everyone began requesting Toll House Cookies from their loved ones, creating a tidal wave of requests for Ruth to share her recipe. As you can imagine, the demand for chocolate bars (which were “chipped” to make chocolate chips) also increased. Mrs. Wakefield sold Nestlé the right to use the recipe for a whopping $1 and a lifetime supply of Nestlé chocolate. Her Toll House Cookies went on to become an American favorite.
Today there are tons of recipes available for the best chocolate chip cookie. We’re awfully fond of Ruth’s famous recipe, but also like to mix things up from time to time. Try out one of our recipes below for a twist on the original.
Spiced Rosemary Chocolate Chip Cookies: This state fair winner, created by Sara Woolery, adds a bit of heat and savory goodness to the original with the inclusion of Smoked Sweet Paprika, Cayenne Powder, and Rosemary. We recommend using the margarine the recipe calls for. Substituting butter changes up the texture and we think the original is best.
Peanut Butter & Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies: We’re in Iowa, so of course we have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that includes bacon! This cookie also has some savory elements (the bacon and a bit of Chipotle or Ancho powder) which is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the chocolate chips and peanut butter. The chopped peanuts give this cookie an amazing texture.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnut Oil: Avoiding dairy? This is the recipe for you. The butter is replaced with our tasty Roasted Walnut Oil. Just make sure to choose a dairy-free chocolate chip for 100% dairy-free cookies. For a citrusy twist, try replacing a portion of the Roasted Walnut Oil in the recipe with our Blood Orange Olive Oil.
Do you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe? Share it with the AllSpice family and we’ll give it a try.