Move over, Mrs. Fields

Move over, Mrs. Fields. Make way for Mrs. Miller. “Mrs. Miller’s Chocolate Chip Cookies,” that is.

“Mrs. Miller’s Chocolate Chip Cookies” scored a big hit at the annual Solano County 4-H Presentation Day, held in Fairfield.

Caitlin Miller, 10, of Vacaville, a member of the Elmira 4-H Club, chose to give a presentation on a cookie she loves the most:  her grandmother’s chocolate chip cookies.

Her grandmother, Alice Miller, of Washington state, formerly of Benicia, “makes them all the time,” Caitlin said.  “She showed me how to make them and they’re really good.”

The secret ingredient, cream cheese, keeps them soft.

The two judges, Sally Moore of the Roving Clovers 4-H Club, Dixon and Sarah San Nicolas of the Golden Hills 4-H Club, Vacaville, proclaimed the cookies “delicious.” They gave a blue (very good) award for her presentation.

Caitlin, a fourth grader at Cooper School in Vacaville, posted the recipe on her display board, complete with photos of the entire process.

She said she enjoyed making them.

Probably not as much as the crowd at the Solano County 4-H Presentation Day enjoyed eating them. Within a matter of minutes, not a crumb remained on the platter.

Here’s the recipe:

Mrs. Miller’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 ounces chocolate chips, semi-sweet
1 cup of nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soften cream cheese and butter. Blend with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend. Add flour, salt,  baking soda, baking powder and mix. Then add chocolate chips, and if desired, nuts.

Using an ice cream scoop, place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes (until lightly golden).

Caitlin Miller

ELMIRA 4-H CLUB member Caitlin Miller offers a plate of chocolate chip cookies at the Solano County 4-H Presentation Day. The secret ingredient that keeps the cookies soft: cream cheese. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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