Spiced Rosemary Chocolate Chip Cookies – Blue Ribbon State Fair Winner!

This cookie recipe took first place in our Spiced Cookie* Contest at the 2014 Iowa State Fair and was named the Overall Cookie Winner as well! Thanks goes to Sara Woolery for this deliciousness!

INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup vegetable shortening
2/3 Cup margarine
1/2 Cup dark brown sugar
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Saigon Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp Rosemary, roughly chopped
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup pecans, copped and toasted
3/4 Cups Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips.

STEPS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: the flour, salt, baking soda, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, and rosemary. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, shortening, and both sugars. Mix in maple syrup and vanilla.
4. Mix flour mixture into the shortening mixture, a little at a time. Finally mix in pecans and chocolate chips.
5. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly with your palm. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cookies are barely dry on top and are lightly golden around the edges.
6. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and allow to cool one minute on tray before transferring to a cooking rack.

Makes two and a half dozen cookies.

*For a fun gift, or for easy cookie-making for yourself, we have a Spiced Rosemary Chocolate Chip Cookie Kit ($12.50) over in our gift box department!