We weren’t a cookie jar family. Our late 60’s, early 70’s style orange flowered cookie can was always full and traveled on all the camping trips. I have such great memories of my cousins and I playing cards and eating fresh chocolate chip cookies from the can as we bumped along the back roads of the Ochoco Mountains in Oregon in the back of my family’s pickup and camper in search of new hikes and wild flowers. I’m a firm believer that delicious memories are worth making and sharing. So here’s Mom’s original chocolate chip cookie recipe. Bake a batch, pack a tin full, and head out for an adventure with your mom or kiddos this coming weekend!

RECIPE:  Orange Tin Chocolate Chip Cookies  ~  makes 1-2 dozen depending on who’s baking!

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup cane sugar (evaporated cane juice)

2/3 cup unsalted grass-fed butter

2 pasture-raised eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cup chopped chocolate 70% (about 2 Theo Chocolate bars)

Preheat oven to 350F

Cream sugar, butter, eggs in a medium bowl either by hand or with a stand mixer at medium speed. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl combine salt, baking soda, and flour. Add dry good to sugar, butter, egg mixture. Mix well. Stir in rolled oats and chopped chocolate. Line a baking sheet with natural parchment paper. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough (about 1/8 cup in size) on to cookie sheet several inches apart to allow for spreading during baking. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes until middle of cookies are set and edges are golden brown. Cut open a paper grocery bag for cookies to cool on – this is critical if you like crunchier cookies! Enjoy while still warm or store in your favorite cookie jar or tin.

— by Amanda Bullat, MS, RDN, CS

Amanda leads our culinary education program at 21 Acres.  She is a registered dietitian nutritionist with master’s degree from Bastyr University and a background in natural and sustainable food systems.