Quarantining at home can get pretty old, pretty fast. Luckily, DoubleTree by Hilton has a way to make your home feel a little more luxurious.
The hotel has revealed the recipe for its iconic chocolate chip cookies for the first time, so that home bakers can get a taste of the hotel's most famous amenity any time they want.
The cookie recipe was created in 1986 as a VIP treat. They are now offered at check-in to all hotel guests. According to a statement from Hilton, more than 30 million DoubleTree cookies are consumed every year, and the cookie had the honor of being the first to be baked in orbit at the International Space Station. There are many copycat recipes out there, but until now no one has known the hotel's secret to the perfect chocolate chip cookie.
“We know this is an anxious time for everyone,” Shawn McAteer, senior vice president and global head of DoubleTree said in a statement. “A warm chocolate chip cookie can’t solve everything, but it can bring a moment of comfort and happiness.
Expert cookie tasters may not be surprised to see some of the secret ingredients on the recipe, including rolled oats and walnuts. The recipe also surprisingly includes a splash of lemon juice.
Hilton's recipe makes 26 cookies. The dough can be frozen unbaked and taken out to bake whenever you have a cookie craving. For those that are not as savvy in the kitchen, DoubleTree also offers a tin of already baked cookies for sale on the official cookie website.
DoubleTree Signature Cookie Recipe
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
Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.
With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.
Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.
Cook’s note: You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300°F and place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.