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#33

Who Invented Chocolate Chips?

Nov. 5, 2010

From Santa to the Cookie Monster, everyone loves a cookie. But who deserves credit for introducing cookie lovers everywhere to the chocolate chip? Bring your appetite — we’re chomping into a wonder that’s a chip off the chocolate block.

Have you ever wondered…

  • Who invented the chocolate chip cookie?
  • Are chocolate chip cookies the most popular cookie?
  • How do you make chocolate chip cookies?

Did you know?

Ruth Wakefield invented the first chocolate chip cookie in 1937… by accident.

As the owner of the Toll House Inn, Ruth was responsible for preparing recipes and meals to serve to the guests. A trained dietitian, Ruth received rave reviews from guests who sampled her tasty desserts.

Ruth’s favorite recipe was Butter Drop Do cookies. One afternoon, while preparing the cookies, Ruth discovered her pantry was lacking a necessary ingredient — baker’s chocolate.

Instead of throwing out the batch of dough, Ruth decided to substitute a semisweet chocolate bar that she chopped into tiny bits. Much to her surprise, when she pulled the cookies from the oven, Ruth discovered the chocolate had not melted entirely like baker’s chocolate.

Instead, the semisweet chocolate bits had only softened. And just like that, the first chocolate chip cookies were born.

Ruth called her new creation the Toll House Crunch cookie. The cookies became very popular — not only with guests at the inn but around the world.

Here are some more fun facts about chocolate chips:

  • One-fourth of all cookies baked in the United States are chocolate chip.
  • The chocolate chip cookie is the official state cookie of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
  • In the United Kingdom, the term “cookies” generally refers to chocolate chip cookies. All other varieties of cookies are called “biscuits.”

Try it out!

The holidays may be the most popular time to bake cookies at home, but chocolate chip cookies are popular no matter what the season. Ready to do some baking?

Grab your apron and pop on your chef’s hat! Try your hand at Ruth’s original recipe. These cookies are still just as delicious now as they were in 1937.

Wonder words to know and use:

  • accident
  • appetite
  • chomp
  • responsible
  • dietitian
  • rave reviews
  • pantry
  • substitute
  • creation
  • popular

Still wondering?

Discover how temperature plays an important role in melting and cooling chocolate in this tool from Science NetLinks.

Wonder what’s next?

Not quite ready to call it a night? Visit Wonderopolis for a time warp as we turn back the hands of time. See you in the morning!

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22 responses to "Wonderopolis"

  1. Sparky
    5. Nov, 2010 at 5:41 pm

    I love chocolate chip cookies and have fond memories of making them wth my grandmother. I actually thought she invented them, but now I know the truth! Thank you Wonderopolis for this great Wonder of the Day and bringing back some great memories!

    • Wonderopolis
      11. Nov, 2010 at 9:33 am

      We’re glad this Wonder helped bring back special memories of times with your grandmother! :-)

  2. Carmen
    16. Mar, 2011 at 12:24 pm

    I love this video, it reminds me of the time i learned how to cook brownies with my aunt
    :-D

    • Wonderopolis
      17. Mar, 2011 at 8:43 am

      We bet it was fun to learn to bake such sweet treats and spend some quality time with your aunt, Carmen! Brownies are so yummy! :-)

  3. karen
    26. Apr, 2011 at 2:49 pm

    It love choclate chips. It reminds me when I accidently ate all of them.

    • Wonderopolis
      26. Apr, 2011 at 3:24 pm

      Don’t worry…we’ve “accidentally” ate a lot of chocolate chips before, too, Karen! They are so yummy! :-)

  4. :D
    16. May, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    I <3 chocolate chips!! I really like making chocolate chip cookies, and I think this is a great Wonder! Maybe you guys could create a Wonder about muffins sometime! Muffins are yummmmmy!!

    • Wonderopolis
      16. May, 2011 at 6:28 pm

      A Wonder about muffins would be AWESOME, :D ! Thanks for all these great ideas today! :-)

  5. ^-^ ^-^ ^-^ ^-^ ^-^ ^-^
    22. Aug, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    Cool! I LOVE chocolate…and muffins…and PIE! A Wonder about pie would be cool!

    • Wonderopolis
      23. Aug, 2011 at 10:08 am

      Thanks for leaving a comment today! A Wonder about pie is a great idea! :-)

  6. Haley:)
    6. Sep, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    I love choclate chip cookies :) my recipe is fun and easy!!! You take all these things and mix them together, but put chocolate fudge with it them cook it (360 degress F) and when it’s done you put fudge and extra chocolate chips on it! :)

    • Wonderopolis
      7. Sep, 2011 at 8:06 am

      Those sound like our kind of cookies, Haley! We’ll be trying your recipe soon..thanks for sharing it! :-)

  7. Casey(:
    13. Sep, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    Haley that sounds good! (: When I stay at your house again, make them for me! (: Haha

    • Wonderopolis
      13. Sep, 2011 at 5:45 pm

      Wow! We think it’s super cool that you two know each other, Haley and Casey! We also think chocolate chip cookies are the perfect snack to share with your Wonder Friends! :-)

  8. Casey
    20. Sep, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    Actually me and Haley are BEST FRIENDS!!!!! Haha(:

    • Wonderopolis
      21. Sep, 2011 at 9:12 am

      We think it’s GREAT to have a best friend, Casey, and we bet Haley is an AWESOME one! We’re happy that you both like to visit Wonderopolis and that you are Wonder Friends! :-)

  9. trunks
    15. Feb, 2012 at 11:24 am

    Omg, I love chocolate.

    • Wonderopolis
      15. Feb, 2012 at 11:40 am

      There are LOTS of Wonder Friends who agree with you, Trunks! Chocolate is AWESOME! :-)

  10. Team Unger #1
    23. Apr, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Hello Wonderopolis!

    I really enjoyed learning about this wonder! I didn’t know the chocolate cookie was invented by accident. I thought someone decided to put chocolate into a cookie, and made it a chocolate chip cookie. Many of the world’s greatest things were made by accident!

    I have a WONDER for you. Since cookies have obviously already been invented, when the chocolate chip cookie was, how were cookies in general invented?

    Some new vocabulary words I learned today are dietitian, and rave reviews!

    Thanks for the great discussions, topics, and best of all, WONDERS!

    Team Unger #1 :)

  11. Annie
    23. Apr, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    Who doesn’t like chocolate?!!!!! I agree with trunks, I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!
    This Wonder ROCKS!!! :)

    • Wonderopolis
      23. Apr, 2012 at 9:45 pm

      We love chocolate, too, Annie! In fact, we haven’t met very many Wonder Friends who don’t absolutely love it! Thanks for stopping by this Wonder and letting us know that you think it ROCKS! We appreciate hearing that! :-)

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