Marshalls Abroad

Chocolate Cookies Dolci Life

The Most Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

Love At First Sight… Or Was it Bite?

Once upon a time…  a tall, handsome officer, striking in his uniform, walked down the stairs into Dry Dock Hall. He removed his cover as he entered the room and made his way to the table where his interviewer stood up with a rush of blood to her face, smitten even in that first moment. She walked around the table to where he stood, shaking his hand, both with huge smiles on their faces, clearly taken with each other. During the next hour, they didn’t break eyesight once, as she asked her questions and let him speak as long as he wanted for each one, imagining life with him and how right that felt, much to her surprise, and blindly taking chicken scratch notes on her lap.

When it was over, they stood up to say goodbye, wanting so much to hold on to each other and not leave, but instead shook hands, tightly grasping the other’s for much longer than normal, butterflies galore, hearts pounding, staring at each other in awe, realizing later on that yes! love at first sight really does exist! And apparently shows itself when it’s least expected. He returned to his room, burst open the door in total shock that he’d met the woman of his dreams, but thinking he would never see her again.

She replayed that precious hour together over and over and over again, every glorious moment, smile, word spoken and unspoken. She thought of literally nothing else but him for all the days that followed. And weeks. And years. What could she do?? It was all over, her heart was taken forever. Her Mom told her right away to bake him cookies. Right, of course.. Cookies! So she did just that with a handwritten thank you card for his wonderful interview and boldly wrote that she hoped to see him again soon. Would he read between the lines and know she was actually saying I’M HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH YOU?! She poured her heart and soul into those cookies, stuffing them still warm into a tin and shipped them to him immediately, breathlessly waiting to hear from him, before she got on a plane two days later to return to California.

She did hear back from him. He received the cookies and her note, again in shock… and so started the months of writing, calling, waiting and praying from opposite sides of the country as she decided between the two jobs and locations to accept after graduation, thinking, dreaming, hoping, wanting him.

If you know us in person or have read our love story, then you know the rest is history!

We like to say that not only are these cookies the most delicious (it’s the same recipe I poured my heart into for Cam!) but they must also have some kind of ethereal magical property to them, too, right?

Eight years later… John Shea Cookie Monster thinks so!

The Most Delicious (and Magical) Chocolate Chip Cookies
(makes about 2 dozen)

2 1/4 C non-bleached organic all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C raw sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 TBS pure vanilla extract
1 teas pure almond extract
2 large eggs (1 full egg, 1 yoke)
2 C high quality chocolate chips (I love these and could eat them by the handful!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, soften the butter in the microwave for about a minute. Add in the sugar, vanilla and almond extracts until creamy. Add in the egg and the egg yolk. I once read in one of my Mom’s cookbooks that this makes a more dense, moist cookie. My favorite kind of chocolate chip cookies are super soft on the inside, gooey! with a little crunch to the outside to hold up while dipping in a glass of cold milk.

Add in the flour, baking soda, salt. I don’t combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. I use just one, and the result is always delicious! Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl in saran wrap and place in the fridge to cool for atleast an hour. This helps the cookies to not flatten when baked and retains the moist inside and crispy outside.

Drop the cookie batter by rounded tablespoons (or more if you want larger cookies!) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes (I stick to 10 for a softer cookie). Eat immediately with a cold glass of milk. So wonderful!


Comments

  2. Nicholle Montalvo says

    i love that these have almond extract in the recipe. I **LOVE** almond extract!! I sneak it into chocolate cakes for that little "what is this??" moment. These cookies look like Heaven on a plate. I must make them asap!! 😀 XOXO

  3. Kaysie says

    I love this story.

    I use a very similar cookie recipe with a bit of brown sugar, but I'm eager to see how adding almond extract changes the flavor! As always, thanks for sharing your kitchen with us

  4. Mary Grace M says

    I just love your story and never get tired of hearing/reading it! How poetic to see your son enjoying the same cookies 🙂 can't wait to try them!!

    • Amanda Marshall says

      Hi Rachel! Its just unrefined and usually thicker – but yes regular sugar works fine! I'd do 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 c white just to give it some more density and texture!

  8. ~Seth and Nancy~ says

    Ooh! Almond extract! I'll have to give that a try. I thought if your story yesterday when driving down to md to look for houses with my husband. We'll be moving just south of Annapolis this summer

  9. asouthernsilverlining says

    These look so good! I love the idea of almond extract, I always favor deserts that have a hint of that in it. I really can't wait to try this… Also, I love reading your blog and I nominated you for a Most Inspiring Blog Award. Please visit this post: https://asouthernsilverlining.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/most-inspiring-blog-award/

    I know between one baby to keep up with and another on the way, you may not have time for a post, but I just wanted to let you know how inspiring I find your blog!

    Best wishes // Ashley

    • Amanda Marshall says

      Thank you so much, Ashley!! That is so encouraging and I love the other blogs you included in there – great to find some new reads 🙂 Thank you so much again!

  10. Jewels Wandering says

    I love that you baked him cookies and went after your man! Nice! Those cookies look amazing, wish I could try to make them at home but oven, the joys of Singapore living…!

  11. Alex says

    I got all teary reading about how y'all met because it reminds me so much of how my boyfriend and I met- there was an instant "something" after meeting just once, then we proceeded to date long distance. I'm such a sucker for those kinds of stories! Not to mention, the cookies indeed look magical, and I shall be baking them soon 🙂

    • Amanda Marshall says

      Ahhh long distance. Not fun but it has it's romantic perks. Hope you like them and so great to hear from you, Alex! I feel like it's been too long!

    • Alex says

      I know! I've been such a bad blog reader, not to mention writer. But here I am! I always enjoy keeping up with you and your gorgeous little family 🙂

  13. Caravan Sonnet says

    *happy happy sigh* I think I have told you this before but I am always so encouraged by your love story. It is absolutely adorable and so beautiful. And as a single gal with a shy little heart I have to say that it is also inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing this!! Now that I have the recipe for these cookies I have to just find a guy! *smiles* Hugs sweet lady!
    Blessings,
    Rebecca 🙂
    p.s. I think I "pin" everyone of your posts but this one is getting pinned several places! hahaha! LOVE this! 🙂

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