Chewy, gooey, or crispy and always all-around yummy — nothing beats a chocolate chip cookie! Each year, May 15th marks a day to celebrate the key ingredient to this classic, sweet treat. Check out these cookie facts and places with delicious cookies in the Fox Valley, and then enjoy every morsel!
A Delicious Accident
Chocolate chip cookies are a cherished dessert staple and late-night indulgence in countless households. The traditional drop-style cookie, which comes in many sizes and variations, stands out due to its iconic main ingredient: chocolate chips.
While the recipe calls for relatively simple components, did you know the cookies’ creation was an accident? In 1938, a woman from Massachusetts named Ruth Graves Wakefield ingeniously chopped up a semi-sweet Nestle chocolate bar and added it to her cookie batter. Instead of them melting as she had thought, the result was the chip studded goodie we have all come to savor!
Wakefield, who was working at the Toll House Inn, became well-known for her desserts. In the late 1930s, chocolate guru Nestle purchased her recipe for a lifetime supply of chocolate! Today, the recipe is still on the packaging of all Toll House chocolate chips!
Surprising Cookie Facts
- A standard tablespoon of dough can hold up to 50 chocolate chips!
- The world’s largest chocolate chip cookie weighed nearly 40,000 pounds and was made by Immaculate Baking Company in North Carolina in May 2003.
- 7 Billion chocolate chip cookies are eaten in the United States annually.
- Early versions of the chocolate chip cookie were crispy and bite-size.
- Chocolate chip cookies are among the most common “safe foods” for picky eaters (at least there’s calcium in them, right?)
8 Spots with Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Whether you’re looking for a late-night snack or need a sweet fix, here are some spots, including Go Valley Kids team member favorites, in the Fox Valley to grab a delicious chocolate chip cookie!
- Mr. Reynebeau’s Cookies
Hands down, these are the BEST cookies ever (in my book!) Formally established in June 2014, Mr. Reynebeau’s cookies are the perfect balance of sweet and chunky — and I am serious when I say these cookies are chunkers! The owner, Matt Reynebeau, was my high school principal at Xavier. The entire school would choose to have a batch of these cookies at lunch as a reward instead of having a non-uniform day. They are THAT good!- Find them at various shops around the area or the Appleton Farmers Market!
- Great American Cookies
Walk past their open-face counter in the mall and take in the dreamy aromas of freshly baked cookies! With lots of combinations offered on display, a favorite is always a chocolate chip cookie sandwich with icing! The treats are soft, very sweet, and filling.- Great American Cookies, Inside the Fox River Mall, 4301 West Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton
- Happy Bellies Bake Shop
Stop by this bright, local bake shop for their many tasty gluten-free items and other allergen-friendly goods, including their chocolate chip cookies! Subtle and soft, they make a great treat on the go or a special dessert to enjoy with family and friends!- Happy Bellies Bake Shop, 2107 North Richmond Street, Appleton
- Whisk and Arrow
The chocolate chip cookies at Whisk and Arrow are giant — bigger than your hand for sure. They are firm and slightly crunchy around the edges and softer as you hit the middle. The chocolate is chopped and added generously. Finished with flaky salt, the Go Valley Kids editor dreams about these cookies, and you probably will too.- Whisk and Arrow, 1915 North Richmond Street, Appleton
- Simple Simon Bakery
A classic, simple bakery-style chocolate chip cookie is waiting for you at Simple Simon. And, if you’re there making a bakery purchase and have a kiddo along, they’re likely to offer one for free to them!- Simple Simon Bakery, 218 East Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton
- Hill Top Bakery
Soft, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies are a hot commodity at Hill Top! The selection includes many combinations, along with the classics. They truly are pros when it comes to these baked treats – after all, they’ve been serving up these goods to customers since 1923!- Hill Top Bakery, 100 E. 7th St, Kaukauna
- Caramel Crisp
A Go Valley Kids team member ranks these cookies found in Downtown Oshkosh among the best she’s ever eaten. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are loaded with chocolate chunks and definitely have a gourmet feel.- Caramel Crisp, 200 City Center D, Oshkosh
- Insomnia Cookies
Cookies indeed make the best late-night snack! As their name implies, Insomnia Cookies has customers covered with late-night pickup and delivery options as late as 3 am! They also ship gift boxes. Mamas who are up late with nursing or teething babies can especially appreciate this bakery’s hours and their impeccable double chocolate chunk goodness!- Insomnia Cookies, 547 High Avenue, Oshkosh
No matter how the cookie crumbles, they’re still a tasty treat that parents, grandparents, and children alike can cherish and enjoy! Grab a cookie and enjoy national chocolate chip cookie day!
