Mary Jane's Hand-Mixed Chocolate Chip Cookies

From desert cooling to kitchen warming: Grandma's no-mixer method that turns cookie baking into a hands-on family adventure

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Dinner Bell Newsletter. Here I share some of my favorite family recipes for your Sunday enjoyment, along with the stories, history, and memories that make these dishes special.

This week, we’re diving into Grandma Mary Jane’s world of hand-mixed chocolate chip cookies. These aren’t just cookies; they’re edible heirlooms, each bite connecting generations through the simple joy of homemade sweets.

Cool Desert, Warm Ovens: Grandma's Hand-Mixed Cookie Magic

The California desert has finally cooled, ushering us into what should officially be considered cookie-baking season! Grandma’s hand-mixed recipe might surprise you, but that’s where the fun begins. Imagine diving into a bowl of chocolate cookie dough, hands first! Fair warning: this method doesn’t blend ingredients as thoroughly as a mixer does, but after baking, the result is a refreshingly organic, original taste, with each flavor standing out.

Kids will love getting their hands dirty with this fall treat. Let them mix the dough—they’ll have a blast (and a sugar boost!) while sharing their creations with friends and schoolmates. Adults can join in too! Make it a fun gathering where everyone crafts their own cookies by hand. Elevate the experience with a tawny port or a sweet bubbly like Moscato, both perfect complements to these homemade treats.

Whether you’re a baking purist or just looking for a fun kitchen adventure, the result is absolutely delicious. So embrace the autumn chill and get ready for some hands-on cookie magic!

2nd great-grandparents Anna Glaser and George Wissel photographed with their grandchildren Mary Jane, Fred, and Richard.

2nd great-grandparents Anna Glaser and George Wissel photographed with their grandchildren Mary Jane, Fred, and Richard.

Mischief in the Kitchen: A Multi-Generational Cookie Tale

This week’s recipe is all about kitchen fun for all ages, so I’m sharing a special photo of my grandmother, Mary Jane, with her grandparents. The kids’ faces are priceless - they’re clearly up to some mischief! I like to imagine they’ve just been told they’re about to make cookies by hand. Grandpa and Grandma, in their Sunday best, look a bit less thrilled. Maybe they’re already picturing those fancy clothes covered in chocolate and cookie dough! I doubt they even had hand mixers back then. It makes sense that all yummy baked goods were made by hand. This snapshot of joy across generations perfectly captures the timeless appeal of our family’s hand-mixed cookie tradition, reminding us that the best treats often come from the simplest methods.

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Mary Jane’s “Handy” Chocolate Chip Cookies

Alright, cookie monsters, picture this: your kitchen is filled with the sweet smell of brown sugar and melted butter, mingling with the tempting scent of dark chocolate. We’re talking a perfect storm of flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt to kick things off. Then comes the good stuff - creamy butter, shortening, and a duo of sugars. Toss in some eggs for that classic cookie texture. Now for the true stars of the show: generous helpings of dark chocolate chunks and semi-sweet chocolate chips. The subtle hint of salt enhances all these flavors, creating a perfectly balanced treat that’s impossible to resist. Get ready for a chocolate treasure hunt in every bite!

Yield: 54 small cookies, 27 large cookies

Prep: 5 min. | Cook: 8-12 min. per batch, depending on your oven

Ingredients

• 3 and 1/2 cups flour

• 1 and 1/2 tsp. (heaping) baking soda

• 1 and 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 and 1/8 cups sugar

• 1 and 1/8 cups brown sugar

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)

• 3/4 cups shortening

• 3/4 tsp. water

• 3 eggs

• 5 oz. of dark chocolate chunks

• 5 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 ºF.

2. Dump all ingredients into one large bowl. Tip: Crack eggs into a separate bowl first to avoid shells in your dough.

3. Mix with your hands until the dough is no longer sticky, adding extra flour if needed. Mixer alternative: Whisk flour, soda, and salt separately. Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the water. Gradually add dry ingredients, then stir in chocolate chips.

4. Add chocolate and mix through (yes, with your hands again if you’re going old-school!).

5. Drop dough by hand or use a cookie scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in batches until all the dough is used.

Enjoy your homemade, hand-mixed (or not!) chocolate chip cookies!

Mary Jane’s “Handy” Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Trader Joe’s: Your Cookie HQ for Cookie Baking Bliss

I’m lucky to live near two Trader Joe’s, which cover 99% of my grocery needs. For that rare 1%, there’s a Sprouts and a Whole Foods nearby. This recipe uses all Trader Joe’s ingredients, except for the shortening from Sprouts. The point isn’t to insist you shop at these stores but to show how Trader Joe’s can be a one-stop shop, saving you time and travel.

For shortening, you can use Crisco if you prefer, but I opted for a plant-based version. As for the chocolate, feel free to source it from wherever you like—local chocolatiers, your usual grocery store, or Trader Joe’s. At TJ’s, you can choose between chips and chunks, or mix and match flavors and shapes to your liking! Experiment with different combinations—go all sweet, or mix in peanut butter or butterscotch chips for a fun flavor twist.

This recipe is your cookie canvas—paint it with joy, sprinkle it with laughter, and bake in some sweet memories. Let your imagination run wild!

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