Magic Cookies

I was about 10 years old when Patti and Mike moved next door.  I can picture it as though it were yesterday.  My sister and I were on the swings in the yard watching over the fence, curious to see who our new neighbors would be. I remember thinking Patti was young and so pretty. Over the years, my mother and Patti borrowed cups of sugar from each other and traded recipes. I still remember Patti's recipe for peach almond dessert with cream (I must scour my mother's cookbooks and find that one).  My family's favorite though, were Patti's Chocolate Chip Cookies.

For years my mother, sister and I tried to duplicate them.  They were perfectly sweet.  They were thick and the texture was more cake-like than crunchy, but not soft to where they would crumble. They were full of chocolate chips.  Whoever was lucky enough to answer the door when she brought them might hoard what was left after devouring as many as they could eat in a sitting. Ours, on the other hand, were flat. sometimes soft and bendy, or if we changed it up, crunchy.  They were ok. Your standard home made chocolate chips.  We decided that the magic must lay in the cookie sheets she used.

I finally got Patti's recipe once I had moved out of state with my husband and two girls. Thanksgiving was coming and I emailed her to find out once and for all what we were doing wrong.  Patti and her husband Mike were always so good to my family, especially my parents when they were ill and needed looking in on.  They were always caring and generous.  My sister lives next door to them now and I pop in whenever I'm in town.  I was proud to have made her cookies (though not perfect, pretty close) and mailed them to her  in a year when she was not able to make them herself.  I hope she doesn't mind that I share her magical recipe with you all.

Patti's Chocolate Chip Cookies

In her words...

"No mystery really (if it IS the pans, I use Baker's Secret)--use the Toll House recipe on the Nestle's bag, BUT really use Ghiradelli chocolate chips (Nestle's is fine of course, but the other is a better quality chocolate) and increase the amount by 50%.  A good idea is to make two batches using three 12 oz. bags, so a bag and a half for each batch.  Also, lessen the white sugar and increase the brown sugar:  one cup of brown; half a cup of white, instead of 3/4 cup each.  One more teaspoon of vanilla. Use unsalted butter, and be sure to leave it out of the fridge the night before you bake.  That should do it. If they are still coming out flat, try a little more flour than asked for until you get the results you want.  Happy Baking."

Here are a few hints.  Drop by rounded TABLESPOON onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not use foil. Use 2  3/4 cups of flour instead of 2 1/4.  Makes @30 per batch.

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for reading!  Come see what I'm passionate about --  Visit my webpage at www.nobleniches.com for Vintage Inspired Treasures for Children & Home. Add your email to subscribe to my blog posts. 

Diane Graci
Noble Niches
Treasures for Children & Home
www.nobleniches.com
(704) 962-0089