America’s Favorite Cookie: The Legendary Toll House Recipe (Circa 1939)
By Katrina Smith
As a collector of vintage cookbooks, I love recreating recipes from bygone eras. The original Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe, straight from my treasured 1939 cookbook, is a true gem—distinctly different from the modern version on today’s chocolate chip packages. I’m sharing a photo of the actual recipe page from my collection, and you’ll see it omits baking powder, which was later added to make cookies more cake-like. This keeps the original dense, chewy, and utterly classic. Have you ever wondered how this iconic cookie got its name?
In 1930, Ruth Wakefield and her husband, Kenneth, purchased a charming inn on the outskirts of Whitman, Massachusetts. Built in 1709, the Toll House Inn was once a stopover during the whaling industry’s peak, where travelers paid a toll—hence its name. Now celebrated for its hospitality and delectable cuisine, the inn is where Ruth created America’s beloved chocolate chip cookie and wrote her cookbook, Tried and True—a book I’m always hunting for!
Ruth’s original recipe was introduced to American homemakers in 1939 through Betty Crocker’s radio program, Famous Foods from Famous Eating Places, sparking its rise to fame. As you’ll see in the recipe page photo, this version uses real, unsalted butter for that rich flavor and skips baking powder for a perfectly classic texture.
Pro Tip for Perfect Cookies
To nail this recipe, sift your flour before measuring and use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Packing flour into a measuring cup adds too much, which can alter the texture. I also use real, unsalted butter for that authentic Toll House flavor. A waterproof kitchen scale (about $30 on Amazon) might just replace your dry measuring cups!
Check out the original recipe page in the photo below! Save this recipe for the next time you want Your Slice of Florida® to be filled with the warm, nostalgic aroma of the original Toll House cookie. What’s your favorite way to enjoy chocolate chip cookies? Share your baking tips or stories in the comments!