Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies: The Secret to Perfectly Thick, Less Sweet Chocolate Chip Delights
There’s a certain magic to the term “Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies.” It conjures images of bustling county fairs, the irresistible aroma of freshly baked goods, and the pride of a winning recipe. These aren’t just any chocolate chip cookies; they embody a timeless perfection, earning their name through a delightful combination of texture and flavor. This particular recipe, which I stumbled upon years ago in an old article from Chicago’s Daily Herald (a link I’ve sadly lost to the sands of the internet), became my personal holy grail for achieving chocolate chip cookie bliss. While not to be confused with Mrs. Fields’ famous Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies, this recipe stands proudly on its own, offering a unique profile that has garnered countless fans.
The original article, much like many treasured baking guides, was packed with all sorts of invaluable tips for crafting the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Over time, I’ve refined and cherished this version, making it my go-to when I crave a truly satisfying treat. It’s a recipe that focuses on creating substantial cookies with a delightful contrast in textures – think irresistibly crunchy edges giving way to a wonderfully soft and slightly crumbly interior. It’s a testament to simple ingredients coming together in just the right way to create something truly extraordinary, a cookie that feels both nostalgic and utterly modern in its appeal.
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Less Sweet, More Flavorful Chocolate Chip Cookies
What truly sets these cookies apart, aside from their impressive thickness and robust texture, is their nuanced sweetness. They are truly excellent, especially if you appreciate a hearty chocolate chip cookie that isn’t overwhelmingly sugary. Compared to the famously rich New York Times chocolate chip cookie recipe, these “Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies” offer a more balanced flavor profile, allowing the chocolate and other ingredients to shine without being masked by excessive sugar. While they might be a touch sweeter than the famously hefty Levain Bakery cookies, they achieve a similar satisfying chewiness, though perhaps not quite as spherical in shape.
The beauty of a less sweet cookie is that it invites you to truly savor each bite. It’s a sophisticated take on a classic, perfect for those who find many commercial or even other popular recipes a bit too cloying. This careful calibration of sweetness makes them incredibly addictive without being heavy. You’ll find yourself reaching for another one, not because they’re overwhelmingly sugary, but because the interplay of textures and the deep chocolate flavor is simply irresistible.
The Secret to the Perfect Texture: A Blend of Flours
One of the intriguing elements of this recipe is the use of both all-purpose flour and cake flour. This combination is key to achieving that coveted texture: a delicate balance of crunchy edges and wonderfully soft, almost crumbly centers. All-purpose flour provides the necessary structure and chew, while the lower protein content of cake flour contributes to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior. It’s a small detail that makes a significant difference, elevating these cookies from good to truly exceptional. This thoughtful blend helps create cookies that hold their shape beautifully while maintaining an interior softness that is characteristic of the best “fair-style” cookies.
Generously Loaded with Chocolate Chips
And best of all? These cookies are absolutely loaded with chocolate chips! For me, a generous distribution of chocolate is non-negotiable in a chocolate chip cookie, and this recipe delivers wholeheartedly. I particularly enjoy using a mix of different chocolate chips to add depth and complexity to the flavor. For this specific batch, I opted for a combination of Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips and Hershey’s Salted Caramel Chips. The bittersweet chips provide a rich, intense chocolate flavor that beautifully complements the less sweet dough, while the salted caramel chips introduce a delightful hint of salty-sweetness and an extra layer of decadence. If you can’t find salted caramel chips, a handful of good quality milk chocolate chips is an excellent substitute, offering a creamy sweetness that contrasts wonderfully with the bittersweet notes.
The generous amount of chocolate ensures that every bite is bursting with flavor, creating a truly satisfying experience. Don’t be shy with your chocolate selection; consider experimenting with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even chocolate chunks for varying textures and intensities. The quality of your chocolate makes a real impact here, so choose your favorites wisely.
Anyway, now that I’m thinking about it, these cookies are almost exactly like the popular Jumbo 3 Chip Cookies, but with the distinct addition of cake flour. This subtle change, as mentioned, is precisely what gives them their unique soft, crumbly internal structure. It’s a testament to how small adjustments in a classic recipe can yield deliciously different results. Truly, you can’t go wrong with either recipe if you’re a fan of substantial, flavor-packed cookies, but for that specific “Blue Ribbon” texture, the cake flour is your secret weapon.
Key Baking Tips for Blue Ribbon Success
Achieving bakery-quality cookies at home is entirely possible with a few careful techniques. Here are some expanded tips to ensure your Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies turn out perfectly every time:
- **Precision in Measuring Flour:** The recipe calls for a specific amount of flour (1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon AP flour and ½ cup cake flour), and it’s crucial not to overmeasure. Flour can easily be compacted, leading to a dry, dense cookie. If you don’t have a kitchen scale (highly recommended for baking!), make sure to fluff your flour by stirring it in its container, then spoon it lightly into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Never scoop directly from the bag with your measuring cup.
- **Creaming Butter and Sugars:** The instruction to beat the cold butter until creamy, then add sugars and beat for 2-3 minutes more until light and creamy, is vital. This process, known as creaming, incorporates air into the butter and sugar mixture, which contributes to the cookies’ light texture and helps them rise. Using cool-temperature butter (not rock hard, not melted) allows for optimal aeration.
- **Don’t Overmix the Dough:** Once you add the flour mixture, mix on the lowest speed or by hand just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough cookies. The dough should be slightly dry, but don’t worry – the chips will help bring it together. If needed, turn it out onto a pastry mat and gently work in the chips by hand to avoid overmixing.
- **Shaping for Success:** The instruction to scoop out quarter-cup balls and flatten them slightly into 1-inch thick disks is important. This shaping helps ensure even baking and contributes to their signature thick, slightly less-round profile, reminiscent of a true fair cookie.
- **The Magic of Chilling Dough:** While you can bake these cookies immediately, chilling the dough disks for at least an hour (or even overnight) can significantly improve their flavor and texture. Chilling allows the flour to fully hydrate, the flavors to meld, and the butter to firm up, resulting in less spread during baking and a chewier, more complex cookie. If baking chilled dough, reduce the oven temperature slightly to 350°F (from 375°F) to allow them to bake through without overbrowning the edges.
- **Knowing When They’re Done:** Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and set, but the centers still look slightly soft. The cookies will continue to cook slightly on the hot baking sheet after being removed from the oven. This contributes to that perfect crunchy-edge, soft-center dynamic.
- **Proper Cooling:** Allowing the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack is crucial. This initial cooling period allows them to firm up enough to be moved without breaking, while also continuing the baking process slightly for optimal texture. Transferring them to a wire rack then allows for air circulation, preventing the bottoms from becoming soggy.
By paying attention to these details, you’ll consistently create Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies that are sure to impress anyone who tries them. They are more than just a sweet treat; they’re a rewarding baking project that yields truly exceptional results.
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Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies Recipe
Blue Ribbon Fair Cookies
Anna
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoons AP flour (225 grams)
- ½ cup cake flour (60 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt, scant can use less if you want
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar (125 grams)
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (125 grams)
- 6 oz unsalted butter, cool temp cut into chunks (170 grams) (1 ½ sticks or 12 T)
- 1 large egg
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups bittersweet chips
- ½ cup Hershey’s Salted Caramel Chips or any brand of milk chocolate chips.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190°C) or skip this step if you plan to chill all the dough.
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Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
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Weigh your flour using a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. This recipe contains a substantial amount of flour, so you want to avoid accidentally adding too much by using compacted cups. If you don’t have a scale, first stir and aerate the flour in its container, then spoon it gently into your measuring cup and level with a flat edge. Mix together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cool butter (cut into chunks) until it is creamy and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add both the granulated sugar and light brown sugar, and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This creaming process incorporates air into the dough. Add the large egg and stir on the lowest speed until it is just mixed in, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then, add the pure vanilla extract and stir until thoroughly blended.
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Using the lowest speed on your stand mixer (or mixing by hand with a sturdy spatula), gradually stir in the dry flour mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, stir in all of the chocolate chips. The dough may appear slightly dry at this stage, which is perfectly normal. You may want to turn the dough onto a pastry mat to work in all the chips by hand, ensuring even distribution without overworking the dough.
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Using a ¼ cup measure (or a large cookie scoop), scoop out balls of dough. If you prefer to just eyeball the dough, divide it into 12 equal-sized mounds. Gently press each mound into a circular shape and flatten slightly so that you have disks which are about 1 inch (perhaps a little less) thick. This shaping is key for the thick, fair-style cookie texture.
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Arrange the dough disks on the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving enough space between them for spreading. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are nicely browned and set, but the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes to allow them to set and finish baking slightly, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Alternatively, you can chill the dough disks for at least an hour (or up to 2-3 days) before baking. If baking chilled dough rounds, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for a similar amount of time, adjusting as needed until the edges are golden.
Notes