Have You Tried Michigan’s State Cookie?

Did you know Michigan even had a state cookie? I sure didn't, but based on what the cookie is, I'm not surprised it's officially recognized as the state cookie of Michigan. In fact, the cookie just celebrated its 20th anniversary of holding the honor.

That's right, in June 2004, the state government named the Michigan Treasure Cookie the official state cookie. The Michigan Treasure Cookie is a delicate, dark chocolate cookie with dried cherries baked right in.

It's a fitting pairing, as Michigan produces 70% of the country's tart cherries. While most of those cherries come from Traverse City, the recipe for the cherry-featured cookies does not.

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Instead, the recipe comes from a teacher at Defer Elementary School in Gross Pointe Park in the Detroit metropolitan.

The recipe is even posted on the official Michigan legislature website. Here's the recipe:

- 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour

- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

- ½ teaspoon baking powder

- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt

- 1 cup softened butter or margarine

- 1 cup Pioneer brand granulated sugar

- ½ cup packed Pioneer brand brown sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

- 1 ½ cups Graceland Fruit brand dried cherries

- Additional granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit

 

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Beat butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy (about two minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended. On low speed of mixer, gradually beat in 1/3 of flour mixture at a time, until all is used. Scrape sides of bowl between additions of flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks and cherries. Refrigerate covered dough for at least one hour.

 

3. Roll chilled dough into golf-ball-sized balls. Roll the balls in the additional granulated sugar. Space three inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Gently press with bottom of glass to flatten. Return remaining dough to the refrigerator until ready to use.

 

4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool cookies about five minutes on cookie sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

If you're like me and don't like cherries (I know, I know) you can substitute them with 1 ½ cups of dried blueberries instead. Daily Meal also suggests a few other ways to change up the state cookie, whether by adding bourbon or other select spices.