Kitchen Humanities: Create-a-Cookie
Summary
In this 7th grade life skills lesson, students work as a group to make alterations to a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe and create their own type of customized cookie.
Objectives
After this lesson, students will be able to:
- Begin to recognize when alterations or adjustments are possible, and improvise recipes when ingredients are provided
- Begin to select correct measuring tools from the ESY Toolbox and recognize the need for precision in measuring
- Collaborate to identify, choose, and complete jobs to execute recipes, and explain the importance of each individual contribution to the end result
Assessment
During this lesson, students will:
- Make alterations and adjustments to an existing recipe
- Accurately measure ingredients
- Work together as a group to create their own type of cookie
Materials
For the Chef Meeting
- Create-a-Cookie recipe
- Ingredients and tools for demonstration
- Visual aid
- Create-a-Cookie worksheet
Ingredients
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Chocolate chips
- Milk (to serve with the cookies)
Optional Ingredients
- White chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Butterscotch chips
- Rolled oats
- Craisins
- Shredded coconut
- Walnuts
- Granola
- Cocoa powder
Tools
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting boards
- Measuring beaker
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Portioning scoop
- Oven mitts
Equipment
- Oven
Before You Begin
- Collect all the tools and ingredients, and then distribute them to the tables
- Gather supplies for the Chef Meeting
- Create the visual aid
- Copy the Create-a-Cookie recipe to hand out
- Copy the Create-a-Cookie worksheet for each table group
- Set up separate tables for dry ingredients and wet ingredients
- Set up the Wild Card table with the optional ingredients
Procedures
At the Chef Meeting
- Welcome students and introduce baking chocolate chip cookies as an opportunity for group collaboration and student leadership, because the recipe can be easily customized. Explain that students will divide into groups and work independently (of their teachers) to read through the recipe, divide up cooking jobs and make recipe alterations to invent their own cookie. Note that this is their final kitchen class before the Iron Chef competition.
- Emphasize that measuring precisely is critical when baking. Explain that once the basic dough is prepared, each group will choose ingredients from the Wild Card table to create a customized cookie.
- List the ingredients on the Wild Card table and tell the students that each table is allowed to choose a total of two cups of ingredients to add to their cookie dough.
- Ask students to identify traits they associate with good leadership and good group participation. Instruct the class to make sure that each table chooses at least one leader, and that the table should read the entire recipe before starting.
- Tell the students that the group leader(s) will be present the Create-a-Cookie Worksheet to the rest of the class at closing circle.
- Remind students to consider to the strengths and weaknesses of the group and the strengths of each individual in preparation for the Iron Chef competition.
At the Table
- Allow each group to independently choose a leader or leaders
- Encourage students to read the recipe, discuss alteration ideas and divide the cooking jobs. (Note: if the group wants to make 2 different types of cookies allow them to split the basic dough in half once it has been mixed.)
- Have students prepare the cookies and complete the Create-A-Cookie worksheet. Place a teacher (or other adult) at the Wild Card table to monitor the distribution of optional ingredients.
- Set the table.
- Eat.
- Clean up.
At the Closing Circle
Have the group leaders present their table's Create-a-Cookie worksheet to the class.