Chocolate Chip Cookies

originally published in the Battle Creek Enquirer & News

These recipes are magic, and this one proves it. I am cursed in the chocolate chip cookie department. No matter what I’ve tried, they come out like flat, crispy pancakes. But this recipe is the first one ever to break the curse. I’m not sure why—at first glance it doesn’t look much different than any other chocolate chip cookie recipe. But tucked into the instructions it calls for dissolving the baking soda first, something I’ve never seen. Is that the trick? Or is it the all-bran? Who knows. But my family is enjoying the change.

Straight from Lucie's collection:

Photo by Arnold Gatilao

Ingredients

½ pound semi sweet chocolate*

¾ cup shortening or softened butter

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

2 Tbs. hot water

2 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup chopped nutmeats

½ cup all-bran (or wheat bran)

Chop chocolate coarsely. Blend shortening and sugar well. Add eggs and beat. Dissolve soda in hot water and add to mixture. Sift flour with salt. Add flavoring, chocolate, nut meats, and all-bran. Drop on baking sheet and bake 7-10 minutes at 375°.

*Or 1½ cups chocolate chips, and omit the instructions for chopping the chocolate. Nestle didn't start selling chocolate chips until 1941.

If you try these I'd love to hear how they turn out. Now go make some magic!