Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

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Cooking With Kids, Desserts, Summer, Uncategorized

***This is a repost from a few years back, but this is still a really popular recipe on our website, so I thought I’d repost. Are you going to the fair this summer? If not, you can still enjoy the tastes at home with this delectable recipe!***

It’s State Fair Time here in Iowa, and boy do Iowan’s love their State Fair. We love everything from the animals, to the rides, to the shows. And then of course there is everything you can imagine to eat deep fried and served on a stick. This year’s new food highlights includeFunnel Bacon on a Stick and Fried Fruit Kabob. (I’m trying to picture both of those and am puzzled…)

Anyway, I don’t go for the new “on the stick” item each year. Instead, I go for a classic, the bucket of warm, chewy (and somehow just a little crunchy), mini chocolate chip cookies. You know the ones! They are heavenly! Don’t worry; I don’t eat the entire bucket myself. While that would be entirely possible, I do share these perfect gems with my husband and kiddos.
Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (1)
This photo of Iowa State Fairgrounds is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Recently, I got to thinking that there were just too good to only have once a year.I determined to do my best to recreate them at home. This was a good decision. 🙂

Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (2)

After playing around with the recipe a bit I think I’ve hit the nail of the head. I ended up using a combination of butter and shortening. I also used both brown and white sugar, lots of vanilla, and mini-chocolate chips. They were perfect!! So chewy, with just a little crunch, and of course lots of gooey chocolate. YUMMMMM

Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (3)

Now tell me, what State Fair do you go to? What is your favorite thing to eat there?

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Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe)

Author:Annie

Recipe type:American

Cuisine:Dessert

Prep time:

Cook time:

Total time:

Serves:5 dozen mini cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ C butter at room temperature
  • ½ C shortening
  • 2 t vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ C brown sugar
  • 1 C white sugar
  • 2¼ C flour
  • ½ t baking soda
  • ¾ t salt
  • 1½ C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Using a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix the butter, shortening, vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, and white sugar together.
  3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low until combined. At this point, you may need to add a bit more flour if your dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl. (I sometimes need to add about ¼ C)
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop into balls that are half the size of a normal size cookie dough ball. I happened to have a melon baller and used that, which was perfect.
  6. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (4)

Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (5)

About Annie

Annie spends her days learning alongside her five kids, reading aloud intriguing literature, and whipping up new recipes in the kitchen. She and her family live in Southern California, enjoying both the mountains and the ocean.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (6)Mindy says

    Those look so good, Annie! I am definitely going to try your recipe — Barksdale’s cookies were the first thing I had at the Iowa State Fair this year! I still have four days left of attending, so plenty of time to enjoy a meal at the pork tent (probably a pork burger or maybe the new bacon cheddar brat burger), breakfast at Cattleman’s Beef Quarters (and a burger for lunch, too), a corn dog from Campbell’s, cheese curds from Brad & Harry’s, margherita pizza at Parlo’s Pizza on the hill, caprese salad on a stick from The Salad Bowl in the ag building, honey lemonade from the honey producers in the ag building, a soft-serve cone from The Dairy Barn, and my all-time fave…a peppermint bar from Bauder’s ice cream stand. I can’t pick just one — that’s like choosing which of my kids is my favorite!

    • Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (7)Annie says

      Oh my goodness! You are a State Fair Food Expert! I would expect no less from someone who competes (and wins!) in so many State Fair competitions. Have a wonderful time!

  2. Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (8)Francene says

    What type of shortening do u use?

    • Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (9)Annie says

      I use Crisco. 😊

  3. Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (11)Kathy Sawhill says

    By far, my favorite thing to eat at the fair is a turkey drumstick or a gyro. Always have to have a lemonade to go with either!

    • Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (12)Annie says

      I love all of your favorites, too!

Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What are the Iowa State cookies? ›

Barksdale's cookies have become synonymous with the Iowa State Fair. Each year, thousands of families get in line to get their cup or bucket of warm, fresh chocolate chip cookies.

What is the first ingredient that changes the different look and texture of chocolate chip cookies? ›

1. Granulated sugar. Using granulated white sugar will result in a flatter, crispier and lighter-colored cookie. Granulated sugar is hygroscopic, so it attracts and absorbs the liquid in the dough.

Why were chocolate chip cookies a mistake? ›

A myth holds that she accidentally developed the cookie, and that she expected the chocolate chunks would melt, making chocolate cookies. That is not the case; Wakefield stated that she deliberately invented the cookie. She said, "We had been serving a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream.

Why do my chocolate chip cookies look like biscuits? ›

If your cookies come out looking more like biscuits, you've likely added too much flour. Our cookies didn't expand much from the rolled-up balls we put on the baking sheet. They also didn't brown as well as the other cookies. It doesn't take much—in this case, my mom and I added just 3/4 cup extra flour to the dough.

What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.

What is the #1 cookie in the US? ›

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie.

What does adding an extra egg yolk do to cookies? ›

Egg yolks are high in fat in relation to the egg white which is high in protein so often acts as a binder. Adding egg yolks to the cookies yields a super tender, chewy cookie. Egg Yolk Cookies are slightly richer in flavour from the additional fat from the yolk.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What is the best sugar for cookies? ›

In that role, white sugar aerates the dough when creamed with butter for thick and puffy cookies. Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more.

What is unhealthy about chocolate chip cookies? ›

Traditional chocolate cookies and chocolate chip cookies are not considered to be healthy on their own due to the large amount of sugar and butter used to make them. However, you can still enjoy these cookies in moderation and as part of a healthy diet.

Why did dads stop making chocolate chip cookies? ›

The decision by Mondelez International to discontinue the chocolate chip variety of Dad's cookies was due to poor sales. “They were discontinued late last year and took a few months to work their way through store shelves,” said Stephanie Cass of Mondelez Canada, the company that owns Dad's brand.

What is the number 1 best selling packaged cookie? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co. But did you know Oreos are a copycat product?

What is the white stuff on chocolate chip cookies? ›

That's the result of chocolate bloom, which is usually caused by warm temperatures or moisture.

Why do my cookies get hard after they cool? ›

Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.

What happens if I add too much baking soda to my cookies? ›

Too much baking soda will result in a soapy taste with a coarse, open crumb.

What is Iowa's state snack? ›

Iowa. Inexplicably but delightfully, the Hawkeye State has chosen s'mores as its official snack.

What are the official state cookies? ›

California – Peanut butter with chocolate chips.

What are quintessential Iowa foods? ›

Iowa is known for Sour Cream Raisin Pie, Iowa Ham Balls, Scotcheroos, Maid Rite sandwiches, Steak de Burgo, taco pizza, snickers salad, and corn, lots of corn.

What is the dessert of Iowa? ›

Rhubarb pie is a classic dessert that originated in Iowa and has become one of the most popular desserts in the state.

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