Iowa State Fair Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe)
***This is a repost from a few years back, but this is still a really popular recipe on our website, so I thought I’d repost. Are you going to the fair this summer? If not, you can still enjoy the tastes at home with this delectable recipe!***
It’s State Fair Time here in Iowa, and boy do Iowan’s love their State Fair. We love everything from the animals, to the rides, to the shows. And then of course there is everything you can imagine to eat deep fried and served on a stick. This year’s new food highlights include Funnel Bacon on a Stick and Fried Fruit Kabob. (I’m trying to picture both of those and am puzzled…)
Anyway, I don’t go for the new “on the stick” item each year. Instead, I go for a classic, the bucket of warm, chewy (and somehow just a little crunchy), mini chocolate chip cookies. You know the ones! They are heavenly! Don’t worry; I don’t eat the entire bucket myself. While that would be entirely possible, I do share these perfect gems with my husband and kiddos.
This photo of Iowa State Fairgrounds is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Recently, I got to thinking that there were just too good to only have once a year. I determined to do my best to recreate them at home. This was a good decision. 
After playing around with the recipe a bit I think I’ve hit the nail of the head. I ended up using a combination of butter and shortening. I also used both brown and white sugar, lots of vanilla, and mini-chocolate chips. They were perfect!! So chewy, with just a little crunch, and of course lots of gooey chocolate. YUMMMMM
Now tell me, what State Fair do you go to? What is your favorite thing to eat there?
- ½ C butter at room temperature
- ½ C shortening
- 2 t vanilla
- 2 eggs
- ½ C brown sugar
- 1 C white sugar
- 2¼ C flour
- ½ t baking soda
- ¾ t salt
- 1½ C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Using a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix the butter, shortening, vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, and white sugar together.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low until combined. At this point, you may need to add a bit more flour if your dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl. (I sometimes need to add about ¼ C)
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop into balls that are half the size of a normal size cookie dough ball. I happened to have a melon baller and used that, which was perfect.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Those look so good, Annie! I am definitely going to try your recipe — Barksdale’s cookies were the first thing I had at the Iowa State Fair this year! I still have four days left of attending, so plenty of time to enjoy a meal at the pork tent (probably a pork burger or maybe the new bacon cheddar brat burger), breakfast at Cattleman’s Beef Quarters (and a burger for lunch, too), a corn dog from Campbell’s, cheese curds from Brad & Harry’s, margherita pizza at Parlo’s Pizza on the hill, caprese salad on a stick from The Salad Bowl in the ag building, honey lemonade from the honey producers in the ag building, a soft-serve cone from The Dairy Barn, and my all-time fave…a peppermint bar from Bauder’s ice cream stand. I can’t pick just one — that’s like choosing which of my kids is my favorite!
Oh my goodness! You are a State Fair Food Expert! I would expect no less from someone who competes (and wins!) in so many State Fair competitions. Have a wonderful time!
What type of shortening do u use?
I use Crisco.
Thanks for the recipes.
By far, my favorite thing to eat at the fair is a turkey drumstick or a gyro. Always have to have a lemonade to go with either!
I love all of your favorites, too!