Chocolate chip cookies fresh out of oven. Felix_Hu / Pixabay.com / 2015 / CC0 1.0
The 4th of August is Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.
What do you like your chocolate chip cookies with: coffee, tea, milk, or a soft drink?
Do you like yours warm out of the oven, or do you prefer to wait till they have cooled?
If you’re a parent with kids that like chocolate chip cookies, today might be a good day to make up a few batches of chocolate chip cookie dough and freeze them, so that on hectic days you can always produce homemade cookies on a moment’s notice.
#ChocolateChipCookieDay #NationalChocolateChipCookieDay
See also: Cookies, Chocolate Chips, Ruth Wakefield, Chocolate Chip Day, Cookie Day, Pecan Cookie Day, Bake Cookies Day, Cookie Cutters, Cookie Press, Baking Sheet, Rolling Cookie Cutters
The true history of chocolate chip cookies
Some writers say that chocolate chip cookies were invented by accident, but sadly they are just repeating that without taking the time to check their facts first.
Ruth Wakefield created the first chocolate chip cookies ever sometime in 1937 or 1938. A dietician, trained home economist, and successful businesswoman, she had planned out in her head in advance exactly what she was trying to achieve in the kitchen when she created the first chocolate chip cookies.
While on vacation in Europe with her husband, she was mulling over ideas for improving the cookies back at the prestigious inn (called “Toll House”) that she and her husband ran in Massachusetts. She said that her very first day back into the kitchen, she began testing her ideas out with the help of an assistant, and after several attempts arrived at a result she was happy with.
Her original recipe for chocolate chip cookies, however, had not just chocolate pieces but also walnuts in it, and, she called the cookies “Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies”, naming them after the inn they ran and reflecting the fact that the nuts made them crunchy. You can read the full story here: Ruth Wakefield.
And as a side note, the originals were made with chocolate chunks, as chocolate chips had not been invented yet — in fact, they would be invented a few years later specifically for making these cookies.
What would you think about using white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips?
And what do you think, would walnuts be a good addition to put back into the cookies? Or what about adding raisins?
Activities for today
- Organize a chocolate chip cookie sale fundraiser;
- make or buy a batch to bring into work with you;
- post a photo of your homemade chocolate chip cookies to social media;
- look for free or discounted chocolate chip cookies.
- hold a “guess how many chocolate chip cookies” in jar contest at work;
- some brands of chocolate chip cookies may offer coupons for discounts.
History
In 2002, National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day was observed on the 7th of March. “March 7th National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day with Forgiven Choir at 2 p.m. in the Chapel.” [1]Johnson, Susie. Haven Hilights. Columbia, Louisiana: Caldwell Watchman. Wednesday, 6 March 2002. Page 5, col 3.
In the same year, it was also observed in several places on the 15th of May: “The children’s department will celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day May 15. Children that check out books on this day will receive a chocolate chip cookie. Come and enjoy the books and cookies.” [2]This week at the Hays Public Library. Hays, Kansas: The Hays Daily News. Sunday, 12 May 2002. Page C5, col 4.
In 2009, the May date was also being observed still.
The first print mention on a “Chocolate Cookie Day” on the 4th of August dates from 2005 in Tennessee:
“Today is… National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.” — Jackson, Tennessee: The Jackson Sun. 4 August 2005. Page C1, col. 2.
Sources
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day Is Tuesday And Here’s The Recipe You Need. Charlotte, North Carolina: WKQC-FM. 3 August 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://k1047.com/2020/08/03/national-chocolate-chip-cookie-day-is-tuesday-and-heres-the-recipe-you-need/
Roth, Jeremy and Jamie K. White. August 4 is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. CNN. 4 August 2019. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/04/us/chocolate-chip-cookie-history-trnd/index.html
Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! Huntsville, Alabama: WAFF 48 TV. 4 August 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.waff.com/2020/08/04/national-chocolate-chip-cookie-day/
Tuesday is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! Las Vegas, Nevada: KLAS-TV. 4 August 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/tuesday-is-national-chocolate-chip-cookie-day/
Waterfield, Sophia. National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day 2020—Where to Get Free or Cheap Cookies. Newsweek Magazine. 4 August 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.newsweek.com/national-chocolate-chip-cookie-day-2020where-get-free-cheap-cookies-1522337
Where To Get Free Cookies For National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Pittsburgh, PA: KDKA-TV. 3 August 2017. Accessed June 2021 at https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/08/03/free-chocolate-chip-cookies/