NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Being the new kid on the block is almost always a scary experience. Everybody already knows each other, and you start off feeling like the odd one out. If you’ve just bought a new house or apartment you must be wondering how to introduce yourself to your new neighbors.

There are many ways to get to know your new community, from introducing yourself or asking for help and advice, to our favorite: baking for them. 

Crispy, crumbly, frosted, nutty—anyway you bake them, cookies play a significant role in our lives. They’re intertwined with family traditions; they’re a way to express love or gratitude; they’re even a staple of local fundraising events.

NEW CHAPTER, NEW STORIES 

But as ubiquitous as they are, how often do you stop to consider the origins of your favorite cookies?

Many of the cookies we love best have interesting stories to tell about the places they came from. Did you know that the all American chocolate chip cookie was invented by Ruth Wakefield, proprietor of the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts in 1937?  Whitman was a talented cook and a savvy businesswoman, and her invention made chocolate chips one of the first food products created for a specific recipe. That, and when she gave Nestle the rights to her recipe (chocolate chip Toll House cookies), it became the most produced back-of-the-package recipe of all time.

Wakefield’s original chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for nuts, but we prefer to let the chocolate shine. This recipe uses maple sugar as a nod to the cookie’s New England roots, and is finished with a touch of sea salt.
 

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup maple sugar 

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips

• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. Combine the butter, maple sugar, and brown sugar together in a standing mixer or by hand held mixer. Mix until creamy and airy.

3. Add egg and vanilla. Slowly pour in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and chill in the refrigerator 1 hour to overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats.

5. Using a cookie scoop, drop batter onto baking sheet 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack or eat warm with a glass of milk.

If you are looking to swap the chocolate for a healthier option why not try these irresistible cinnamon cookies. This healthy take on the all time favorite cookie is a simple 6 ingredient recipe that is easy to bake ahead and freeze, or get your new place smelling like home, ready to welcome your new neighbors or old friends!

HEALTHY CINNAMON COOKIES 

 Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. ginger

• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 4 tbsp. butter or coconut oil

• 1 tbsp. honey

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 Fahrenheit) 

2. Place all the ingredients in a food processor

3. Whizz until the dough begins to come together as a ball, it will be sticky

4. Form the dough into a rough ball by hand

5. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray, place the ball of dough in the center. Place another sheet of baking paper on top of the ball. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to approximately 0.2 inches thick between the 2 sheets of baking paper

6. Remove the top layer of baking paper

7. Bake for 8-12 minutes (I give a range as once it starts browning it browns fast) you just want the edges to be going brown)

8. Remove from the oven, while still warm slice into squares, I use a pizza roller for this, and make the squares approximately an inch in size

9. Allow to cool, the biscuits become crispy as they cool

10. Serve

Makes 36 cookies. Prep time: 7 minutes. Cook time: 11 minutes. 

Credits: Thanks to My Kids Lick the Bowl for this healthy, tasty recipe. 

Notes

Allergy notes, to be dairy free this recipe requires coconut oil instead of butter.  This recipe is wheat free, however not gluten-free if using traditional oats