Yay, Now You Can Make DoubleTree's Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies At Home

To the delight of foodies everywhere, more and more companies have been releasing their secret recipes. You can now make IKEA’s famous meatballs, whip up Disney Park’s Mickey Mouse-shaped beignets (extra powdered sugar, please), sink your teeth into a McDonald’s McMuffin for breakfast, and dine on the Cheesecake Factory’s California guacamole salad — all from the cozy comfort of your kitchen. And for dessert, you can make DoubleTree’s chocolate chip cookie recipe at home — no suitcases required.

There’s nothing like eating a really good chocolate chip cookie, and there’s nothing like having a warm one waiting for you when you return home from your travels. And since so many people are sheltering in place, there are far fewer travelers checking into hotels. But to bring a bit of a hotel-like experience to your social distancing, you can break out the cookie sheets and parchment paper and make your own copycat cookies, thanks to DoubleTree by Hilton.

“We know this is an anxious time for everyone,” Shawn McAteer, senior vice president and global head of DoubleTree by Hilton said in a statement. “A warm chocolate chip cookie can’t solve everything, but it can bring a moment of comfort and happiness.” The idea for releasing the recipe is to encourage families to bake — and be — together.

Upon initial inspection, the DoubleTree Signature Cookie looks like any other chocolate chip cookie. It has everything that you would expect (i.e. butter, granulated and light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and so on). But then, there’s one curious ingredient that catches your eye: lemon juice. That’s right, the recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. While it seems like too insignificant an amount to actually make an impact, apparently lemon juice mixes with baking soda to make a chewy, softer cookie, Food.com reported.

Of all the activities that people are participating in to pass the time during the pandemic, baking comes in right at the top of the list. After all, have you noticed that flour and sugar (and yes, even yeast) are super hard to find lately? That’s because baking offers a sense of comfort during tough times, CNN reported. It also offers an olfactory accomplishment (read: it makes your house smell really, really good). Plus, all that mixing and measuring and stirring can relax you and help you be in the moment.

And so, without further ado, here's what you'll need to make the DoubleTree Signature Cookie recipe (which makes 26 cookies):

• ½ pound butter, softened (2 sticks)
• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch cinnamon
• 2 2/3 cups Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

Here's how you bake them: In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Next, add the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium speed for about 2 minutes or until "fluffy and light." Scrape down the bowl. Add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix on low speed for about 45 seconds, making sure not to overmix. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Next, preheat oven to 300°F. Use a scoop (measuring about three tablespoons) to drop the dough about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the center is soft and the edges are golden brown.

After removing them from the oven, cool the cookies on a baking sheet for about one hour.

Cool them for one hour? Silly DoubleTree — everybody knows chocolate chip cookies are best when they're all melty and the chocolate burns your tongue but you don't even care.

Anyway, you can bake up some amazing chocolate chip cookies while you shelter in place, which really is the ultimate activity to do with kids. And when you’re ready and able to travel again, you can check in and get to eat an authentic DoubleTree by Hilton cookie that you didn’t have to make yourself.