The Chocolate Chip Cookies That Were A White House Staple

Known for his elaborate, themed gingerbread houses and show-stopping desserts (planned out months in advance), former White House executive pastry chef Roland Mesnier (1944-2022) also knew how to deliver on a smaller scale. His book "Dessert University" is a master course in pastry basics, from "magical meringues" to "versatile mousses" to "cookies you can count on." It is in this latter chapter that you'll find his chocolate chip cookie recipe (one of the easiest cookies to bake). Mesnier claims to have baked this treat whenever he had downtime during his nearly 27-year tenure at the White House.

There are a couple things that make Mesnier's chocolate chip cookies stand out from your typical recipe. First, in addition to the white and brown sugars, he adds ¼ quarter cup of molasses. Not only does this add a more complex depth of flavor, but it also keeps the cookies chewier for longer.

Secondly, he bakes his cookies at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is higher than what you'd find in most cookie recipes, which may range from 325 to 375 degrees. Mesnier explains his reasoning in the cookbook, saying that the higher temperature lets the cookies brown on the edges while maintaining a gooey center. However, he does caution against overbaking.

If you decide to try Roland Mesnier's president-approved chocolate chip cookie recipe, follow his instructions and avoid these common chocolate chip cookie mistakes. But while under-creaming the butter and sugar together might be a common mistake, Mesnier believes that beating them "until light and fluffy," as many cookie recipes call for, should also be avoided. Beating too much air into your cookies during the creaming process, he cautions, means that your perfectly-risen cookies risk falling flat as soon as they're out of the oven. (Once you're comfortable with the recipe, try switching it up with one of these 14 unexpected ingredients.)

When it comes to serving cookies, Mesnier prefers to serve them as fresh as possible — preferably, while that tantalizing "chocolate chip cookie smell" is lingering in the air. However, if you must store them, be sure to keep them in an airtight container. If you're presenting the cookies at a party, as part of a cookie tray, Mesnier recommends paying attention to different textures and flavors. His chocolate chip cookies, for instance, take care of the "chocolate and chewy" categories. So you'd want to maybe consider adding some with fruity flavors, thinner and crispier cookies, and so on.