WWII Ration Friendly Chocolate Chip Cookies

WWII ration friendly chocolate chip cookies made with shortening, honey, and maple syrup


 

City/Region: United States of America

Time Period: 1940s

 

During WWII, everyone in the US wanted to send chocolate chip cookies to the boys at the front. With wartime rationing in effect, we get a recipe that doesn’t use butter or sugar, but shortening, honey, and maple syrup instead.

The dough is much softer than the original version, and the cookies spread out a lot more as they bake. They bake up softer than the crunchy originals, with a light pillowy texture. They aren’t as sweet, but still have a really lovely flavor. It kind of reminds me of Raisin Bran, but with chocolate. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised.

Check out the episode to see a side-by-side comparison with the original recipe.

 
Cream:
1 cup shortening, add
3/4 cup strained honey
3/4 maple syrup and
2 eggs, beaten whole
Sift together:
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda and add to first mixture
Lastly add:
1 cup chopped nuts and 2 7-oz. pkgs. NESTLE’S SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE, in pieces
Flavor with: 1 teaspoon vanilla and drop by half teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at: 350° F. Time: 15-20 minutes. Yield: 100.
 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 14 ounces chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Cream the shortening, honey, and maple syrup together. Mix in the beaten eggs and vanilla.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
  3. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
  4. Cover and chill overnight.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  6. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet. With the original chocolate chip cookie recipe, I measured out 14 gram portions, but this dough is very soft and sticky. I eyeballed the portions and scooped and plopped them onto a lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between them.
  7. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
  8. Take them out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Original Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Pears Condé