Ingredients

• 1 lb box brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 12 oz bag chocolate chips (or other kinds of chips)
• 2 ¾ cups flour (11 oz.)
• 2 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Preparation

Melt shortening, add sugar, and cool. Beat 1 egg at a time into sugar mixture. Add dry ingredients, blend well. Then add chips and nuts.

Use a well greased cookie sheet (with sides). Spread dough evenly with greased hands into pan.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Ott family recipe

Ingredients

• 3 sticks butter, melted
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 1 lb confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 12 oz chocolate chips

Preparation

Mix 2 sticks melted butter, peanut butter, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs together and spread in 15 x 10 1/2 in cookie sheet.

Melt chocolate chips and butter together, pour over peanut butter mixture.

Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, then let stand at room temperature before cutting.

Jackie Ott

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (37 grams)
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon unsalted butter (20 grams)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons flour (21 grams)
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder (4 grams)
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder (.7 grams)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (.75 grams)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
• 1/3 pound bittersweet chocolate (150 grams)

Preparation

In a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Combine the egg, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and mix with a fork. For puffier cookies, beat egg mixture with an electric mixer on high for 1 ½ minutes (until fluffy).

Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate. Chill batter for one hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 6 portions and shape the portions into balls. They should be about 1 ¼ inches each. Place the balls on cookie sheet and space about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes (I baked mine about 13) and rotate the pan halfway. Take them out before you think they’re done, or they’ll get overcooked.

Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 6

L.A. Times, via Cookie Madness