The Chocolate Chip Cookie: An Accidental Creation

The chocolate chip cookie is mainly eaten in the United States from where it originated, though it is very popular all around the world, and contains chocolate chips in the cookie, of which there may be many varieties. The chocolate chip cookie is also referred to as the Toll House Cookie, and came into existence as a result of an accident made by a woman named Ruth Graves Wakefield who owned the Toll House Inn.

While making chocolate cookies, Wakefield did not have any more regular baker’s chocolate, and had to improvise with the help of semi-sweet chocolate that she assumed would melt and mix well with the batter. Since that was not the case, the first chocolate chip cookie was born, and she was able to further sell this recipe to Nestle to get in return a lifetime provision of chocolate chips from them.

More Than Seven Billion Chocolate Chip Cookies Consumed Yearly

It is believed that presently, more than seven billion chocolate chip cookies are consumed every year, and as many as half of all American households bake them for at home for consumption. The basic ingredients that go into making a chocolate chip cookie are white sugar as well as brown sugar, flour, eggs, and semi-sweet chocolate. Nuts may also be occasionally added to the batter. One can mix and match the ingredients to personal tastes, though the Toll House Cookie sets the standard.

To make the chocolate chip cookie, one must first cream the sugar and butter at high speed by using a whisk or a standing mixer, then add brown sugar and eggs, and then add some flour and leavener (that is normally baking powder). Chocolate chips can be mixed in the end of the whole process prior to scooping the cookies, and the cookie dough may usually be baked, although it may also be preferred to be eaten as it is.

This kind of cookie is somewhat of an American pop culture icon, and finds many references to it by the press. It is also mentioned in TV shows such as Sesame Street, and Midwest Airlines bakes as well as serves fresh chocolate chip cookies on board their flights. Even the desert camouflage pattern that U.S. forces wore during the first Gulf War got the nickname “chocolate chip,” since it looked a lot like chocolate chip cookie dough having brown, black and light tan specks all across the garment.

Popular brands of chocolate chip cookies go by the names of Chips Deluxe (Keebler), Famous Amos, Mrs. Fields, Toll House (Nestle), Pepperidge Farm, The Decadent (President’s Choice) and Chips Ahoy! (Nabisco). Thus, when looking for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, you have many different choices!