National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
August 4 is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, a commemoration of America's favorite cookie.
Whether you're a child delighting in its gooey goodness or an adult savoring a nostalgic bite, there's something universally comforting about this classic cookie paired with a cold glass of milk.
This day honors not just the cookie itself but also the joy and tradition it brings to countless homes and gatherings across the country. So, grab your mixing bowls and preheat the oven because today, we're diving into the sweet history and delightful celebrations of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!
Background of Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
This may be hard to believe, but this classic cookie favorite was actually the product of an accident!
In 1938, Ruth Graves Wakefield, the baker and owner of the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts ran out of baker's chocolate to make her cookies. She decided to use a normal semi-sweet chocolate bar instead.
The baker's chocolate would have just melted into the cookie dough. However, the chunks of semi-sweet chocolate did not mix with the dough but filled the cookies with chunks of chocolate.
This fortunate accident was such a success that Ruth started her own company, Toll House, to sell her cookies. Originally, the cookies were called the Chocolate Crunch Cookies and were the size of a quarter. With time, many versions of this baked treat began being made, with different types of chocolate, so there was something for every taste.
A variety of recipes for chocolate chip cookies also spread around the country, and it became one of the American households’ favorite things to bake because no one can resist the smell of freshly baked cookies.
Ruth's cookies were in high demand, leading Nestle to propose a deal: they would provide her with free cookies for life in return for the legal rights to feature her chocolate chip cookie recipe on their packaging. Ruth agreed to the offer.
It is not certain how or where National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day originated, but it likely came from America's love for their staple cookie.
The Worlds Biggest Cookie
In 2003, the World's Biggest Cookie was baked in Flat Rock, NC, next to the Immaculate Baking Company bakery. The cookie was 102 feet (0.03 km) wide and over 40,000 pounds (ca. 18,144 kg), breaking the previous record of 80 feet (0.02 km).
The idea to bake the cookie came from a need for funding to build a museum for the Folk Artist's Foundation (FAF), which would be a gallery for the massive FAF art collection and have an artist-in-residence space with a classroom for creative workshops.
After months of designing, testing, and building the Big Oven, the cookie was baked and officially measured, raising nearly $20,000 towards the museum fund.
What to do on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
The best way to celebrate is by baking a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. If it's something you do frequently why not try a new and different recipe? If you're a chocolate chip cookie beginner baker, you could try Ruth Wakefield's original Toll House recipe! Make sure to invite friends and family over to share the cookies with, and have plenty of milk to go with them.
If you're not in the mood for baking, many bakeries, and cafés have special deals for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, where you can get free chocolate chip cookies!
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