Maylee at Beyond Gumbo 
If you are looking for the best ever chocolate chip cookie recipe, then stop here. I baked these cookies and immediately fell in love with them. The cookies have several “unique” features which make them special. They are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. The recipe comes from the pastry chef at the White House whose service extended for 25 years under six presidents beginning with President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn. The recipe was printed in our local newspaper several years ago; I clipped it out, saved it and have made the cookies over and over. With the recent passing of Rosalyn Carter, I recalled the cookie recipe. I am making the cookies today in fond memory of both Rosalyn and her White House pastry chef, Roland Mesnier.
Memories of President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn
In years gone by, my parents were big supporters of President Jimmy Carter. In fact, they were invited to his presidential inauguration festivities. My parents visited me in May 1994 when past President Carter was scheduled to give the LSU spring commencement address. Just on a whim, we decided to drive over to the LSU campus to see if we could hear President Carter’s speech. The LSU football stadium held 80,000 people at that time, so there was no problem getting in. And I was amazed. I had no idea that President Carter had so many accomplishments during his one-term presidency. The accolades when on and on; especially concerning world peace. Whether or not you agree with Carter’s policies; you cannot deny that the man was brilliant. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter were just honest and good small-town folks. Who could imagine that he would go on to achieve the presidency and many great things.
And the same can be said for First Lady Rosalyn Carter. Quiet and unassuming, Rosalyn was a force to be reckoned with. At her memorial service on November 29, 2023, the accolades rolled on, too. Unlike other first ladies, Rosalyn saw herself as an equal to the president. She sat in on cabinet meetings and was President Carter’s closest confidant. Rosalyn took on many social issues in her time, including voting rights and mental health. She is a role model for all of us.
White House Executive Pastry Chef
Back to the chocolate chip cookies. Roland Mesnier was born and raised in France, and was considered to be a genious culinary chef. He was the Executive Pastry Chef at the White House, beginning with President Carter and ending with President Obama. He was hired by Rosalyn Carter in 1979. The chef retired in 2004 after being employed there for 25 years — the longest serving chef at the White House. As the White House dessert chef, he was responsable for desserts from small family gatherings to elaborate state dinners to last minute requests from the president to bake a cake to take on a trip on Air force One. In addition to his chef duties, Mesnier was a educator. He developed and taught pastry classes at nearby L’Academie de Cuisine. I am sure he has plenty of interesting stories to tell about the presidents and families in residence there during his tenure. Some of the stories and recipes made it into a cookbook which he authored — the beautifully illustrated cookbook, Dessert University, and a memoir, “ll the President’s Pastries.”
About Dessert University
I was intrigued with the title which Chef Mesnier gave to his volume, Dessert University. As I read through the book, I see that this is much more than a recipe collection. Chef Mesnier provides the reader–home cook–with a complete course “in making a full spectrum of spetacular sweets.” Chef Mesnier shared his vast knowledge of pastry techniques, ingredients, extravagant desserts plus information on how he served the pastries. It was like reading a novel as well as taking a college course on how to become a pastry chef. This book is still available through book dealers, if you have a chance to purchase the book; it is worth it.
I already see several other recipes that I’d like to try such as Fig Ice Cream. Those will have to wait.
Reference: DESSERT UNIVERSITY: More Than 300 Spectacular Recipes and Essential Lessons from White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier by Ronald Mesnier withLauren Chattman. Copyright © 2004 by Roland Mesnier and Lauren Chattman. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
It is difficult to improve upon a great recipe and so I contacted the publisher, Simon & Schuster, about posting the recipe verbatim. To my excitement, the Subsidiary Rights Manager granted the permission on behalf of the publisher. And so, I am reprinting Mesnier’s Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from his cookbook, Dessert University, with permission from Simon & Schuter. It is a fitting tribute to both Rosalyn Carter and her Executive Pastry Chef, Roland Mesnier.
Cookie Recipe Tips
These chocolate chip cookies are crisp on the outside and moist in the middle. They have spicy and intense flavors from the molasses, chocolate chips and walnuts.These cookies are yummy!
Chef Mesnier achieved these fantastic cookie results using several techniqes.
First, the cookies contain just a small amount of molasses. This gives the cookies a robust flavor — these cookies are more than just a simple sugar cookies. Plus, the molasses helps keep the cookies stay fresh for several days without becoming stale.
Second, In addition to chocolate chips, the cookies contain chopped walnuts which adds aroma to the cookies. Don’t skip or substitute these nuts — walnuts have a flavor all of their own and they just tip the character of these cookies to something special.
Third, Chef Mesnier bakes the cookies in a 400 degree oven. The hot oven allows the cookies to become slightly browned and crisp on the outside while still gooey in the middle.
Fourth, Chef Mesnier warns not to overbake these cookies. I learned the hard way. They should be puffy and just beginning to brown. Take them out of the oven! The cookies will be very soft in the middle; and as the cookies cool they will collapse. The cookies will continue to brown and bake on the hot baking pan after coming out of the oven. After making multiple batches of the cookes, I now bake my cookies for only 6 minutes on the upper rack of the oven.
Making the Cookies
Here are the ingredients for the cookies:
Get ready: I purchased whole walnuts from Costco’s and froze the large bag. Then I remove just as many walnuts as I need for a recipe and chop them up. The chopping helps release the walnut flavor into whatever I’m cooking.
Measure out and combine the flour, baking soda and salt. With a pastry chef at the helm, I feel like he’s watching me. I gently lifted flour by the spoonful into the measuring cup and leveled it off so I wouldn’t pack the flour down. Please do this — even a little extra flour makes dry cookies.
To make the cookies, get out the electric mixer. Cream the room temperature butter and sugars (granulated and light brown sugars) until soft and airy. (Don’t forget to get out the butter early to let if soften to room temperature.) Add in the eggs, molasses and vanilla extract. Then mix in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) until just mixed. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
Chill the dough for one hour. It is not as sticky when cold and is easier to portion out.
Portion into cookies out onto parchment lined baking sheets and flatten them slightly with your fingers. I use this little cookie scoop to portion the cookies out. Works great — except that I am left handed which makes using the scoop ackward. Bake the cookies in the hot, 400 degree oven. Watch carefully, don’t overbake or the cookies will be too dry. (I baked my cookies for only 6 minutes.)
Let them cool for 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies with a sharp spatula to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. However, these are really good to eat while they are warm.
The recipe made 70 small cookies which is exactly what Chef Mesnier said the yield would be. You go, chef!
Chef Mesnier gives instructions for portioning into cookies and freezing the dough to bake later. He states that the dough can be frozen for a month. Now, that’s convenient! So, if you don’t need the entire batch, bake only the number of cookies that you need. That’s what I am doing here. These are headed for the freezer.
Lovin’ this idea. Plan to bake a few at a time for some of my neighbors who surpised us with late Christmas gifts. And my other neighbors who are expecting a new baby. I like the idea sharing hot homemade cookies!
It is a cold and windy day here in Louisiana but I am eating my cookies outside with a cup of “Hot Chocolate Latte.” I had a busy day in the kitchen today — making both these cookies and conjuring up an absolutely smooth hot chocolate & espresso latte drink to go along with the cookies. (That recipe is scheduled for next week.)
Looking back at the history books, on Jimmy Carter’s Inauguration Day in 1977, the temperature was sunny but cold with a temperature just below 30°F (-1°C). This couple took the unprecedented step of walking down Pennsylvania Avenue. Ouch, I get chilled just thinking of it. Now walking along the avenue has since become the norm for Presidents during their inaugurations. The Carters were pace setters!.
Enjoy the cookies and Chef Mesnier’s complete volume of pastry cooking, Dessert University. You will find his recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies here.
Chocolate Chip Cookies by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier
Ingredients:
- 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (one 12-ounce bag) chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Method and Steps:
- Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Beat in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Then stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the dough to chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat pads.
- Drop heaping tablespoons or #40 ice cream scoops of the dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, flattening them slightly by hand. (Balls of dough may be placed next to each other on parchment-lined baking sheets, frozen, transferred to zipper-lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Place frozen cookies on prepared sheets as above, and defrost on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.)
- Bake until just light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before using a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Chocolate Chip Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
From DESSERT UNIVERSITY: More Than 300 Spectacular Recipes and Essential Lessons from White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier by Ronald Mesnier with Lauren Chattman. Copyright © 2004 by Roland Mesnier and Lauren Chattman. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chocolate Chip Cookies, pp. 306 – 307.
I love the Carters! One of the main reasons why was because they were quiet and unassuming but carried big sticks. And I remember them walking to the White House.
I think my cookies would give the chef a run for his money. 😆 I have to honest, I substitute pecans in mine because I don’t care for walnuts much. But I wouldn’t be averse to sampling both the chef’s as well as yours!
It’s going to be cold here later this week and we may get snow but we’ll see when it comes to that.
Hello, I do bet that your cookies with pecans are migntly good, too! Hope you survived the cold weather. Down here my backyard looks like a homeless commuity with all the blankets and sheets and tarps covering up my flowers and herbs! But, I’m glad that I did as it got down to 17 degrees here! Take care.
It’ll be about the same temperature here tonight. I hope your herbs and flowers are able to brave the cold! 😮
What a nice recipe, thank you for sharing, and the stories and background.
Thank you! This was a fun trip down memory lane. Hope you enjoy this cookie recipe.
Thanks for the recipe Maylee. I’ve been without an oven for over a year now so I cooked these in our toaster oven for about 4 min at 350 degrees. I didn’t have any molasses so I substituted maple syrup. They’re very tasty especially on this snowy night. Cindi
So glad you liked the cookies, love your substitutions. Using a toaster oven—good idea. Never thought of that. You could go camping! Keep warm. Cold day down here 21 degrees. Getting ready to pour hot water on my birdbath to melt the ice.
I want to be your neighbor so I can get some of these cookies! 🙂
I love the way they spread during baking, so you get those crispy edges together with the soft center. Yum! Also, WHY have I never thought to freeze the bag of walnuts?? This is brilliant. Every time I buy walnuts I end up having to toss the leftovers because they get that rancid smell. I swear, I learn something every time I log into WordPress! 🙂
Yes, “WordPress School.” I just learned that you can protect a page with a password on WordPress. That will be useful if I decide to become stingy–actually I’ll use it for something else. And, I’ve learned that you can store so much in the freezer such as specialty flours and mixes. Mainly, because I run out of room on my shelves. Our hospital administrator used to give us large 5# boxes of pecans for Christmas presents. Frustrated with lack of space (and way too much to use), I stuck them in the freezer. Surprise, they were still good months later. Just toast them up a bit–or chop them. Enjoy the cookies! (And I’m loving that I can store the dough in the freezer!)
Any chance this recipe can be converted to metric weights?
Hello, The chef who authored this book and created this recipe was born, raised and trained in France. I’m sure that he used metric measurements in his professional career. However, the cookbook reference was written with the American homemaker in mind (yes, this was years ago), so all the ingredients are in cups, ounces, etc. Since my agreement with the publisher was to print the recipe without any changes, I’m not in a position to convert it to metric weights. However, there are several “recipe converter” applications on the internet that do an amazing job converting ingredients. One is https://bakingcalculators.com/convertrecipe/ Thanks for visiting my blog!
I absolutely loathe walnuts and 2 of my family members are slightly allergic to them. Anyone tried making these WITHOUT walnuts at all, or tried a substitution with almonds or peanuts? Thank you.
Hello, You most certainly make these chocolate chip cookies and omit the walnuts and another sort of nut. And, if you want to use another type of nut, I suggest pecan pieces or almonds. It is just a great chocolate chip cookie recipe. Enjoy! and thanks for visiting my blog.