I have always loved school. It gave me so much. School had friends to play with, endless knowledge to learn, stories to escape into, and space to develop my identity. The first day of school filled me with such giddy joy I could barely sleep the nights beforehand. I had been to preschool so the first day of Kindergarten didn’t feel too new or scary, except for riding the big yellow school bus. I was one of the lucky kids that had a bus stop at the end of my driveway in rural Minnesota. School was my favorite place to be when I was young.
I had a bad accident when I was small so my first day of Kindergarten was delayed but when it was MY first day, I showed OUT with an original puff paint shirt with my name on it! 🥹 As an adult who now works at a school, I cannot overemphasize how helpful that probably was for school staff. When I arrived home, my mom had made an enormous amount of chocolate chip cookies while I was gone. They were piled on counters, bursting out of Tupperware canisters, and stacked in ice cream buckets. There was a tall glass of milk ready for me and she said I could eat as many cookies as I wanted to celebrate my first day of school being done. For a kid who grew up with a dessert after dinner rule, this was an unheard of experience!
This tradition continued through my senior year of high school, and my mom sent cookies to me in college. When I was in my first years of teaching in New York City, I carried on the tradition and made them for myself, and I’ve made them every year since. I’m starting my 13th year as an educator this year, and I’m planning to make a big batch before the first day of school. It’s such a special, fun way to commemorate the start of the school year. As an adult I now pour a smaller glass of (cow or oat) milk and my capacity for sweets is less, but this is a tradition I plan to keep up as long as possible.
There’s just something about the perfect chocolate chip cookie (or CCC as they’re known in internet foodland). Perfect is subjective of course. There’s thickness, texture, and chip ratios to consider. My ideal cookie will not be everyone’s ideal cookie, and honestly there are different types of CCCs for different occasions. My grandma’s CCCs were different from my mom’s but I loved them both! I love shortbread CCCs, and ones with big hunks of chocolate or the ones with chocolate discs. I like the pan-banging CCCs invented by Minnesota baker Sarah Kieffer, ones that are crisp like Tate’s, and the impossibly gooey cookies that are just barely baked all the way through. Honestly cue “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds - there is a season for every type of chocolate chip cookie. See chart below for proof.
Whether it’s a recital, first day of school, or just because, the classic chocolate chip cookie is one that is a classic for a reason, and I’m so glad that it’s a consistent part of my year. I hope that as you plan for the upcoming first day of school (or first day of fall), you are looking forward to something yummy.
Unlimited chocolate chip cookies 🍪 on the first day of school are one of my most treasured traditions. If you don’t have a first day of school (or work or fall) tradition, you are welcome to this one!
First Day of School Cookies (CCC)
These may be off the back of a Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips bag but this is the recipe I grew up on so I will not be investigating that any further. This will make about 4 dozen cookies.
¾ c butter Crisco
1 ¼ c light brown sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ c all purpose flour
scant (a little less than) 1 tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
1 - 1 ½ c semi-sweet chocolate chips depending on your ration preferences
Heat oven to 375 degrees F
Combine Crisco, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Beat in egg
Combine flour, salt, baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture until just blended.
Fold in chocolate chips
Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 3 inches between.
Bake 8-10 minutes
Things I Like
Eating more protein - turns out I’m hungry and iron deficient a lot of the time 🙃 Thank you to Costco for the beef sticks and nut bars
Julia’s TikToks about updating millennial outfits are keeping me HIP TO THE TIMES
This Gilmore Girls vibes playlist
Planning the fall and winter baked goods I can’t wait to make
Squeezing in another beach day with one of my bests in the midst of staff training weeks
May your week be gently and may you eat well. 🌲🥣