Nothing is quite as comforting as a fresh-baked cookie. Whether you're a child recalling the events of their school day over a glass of milk and warm cookies, or you're a neighbor bringing a tin of your famous recipe to welcome a new family, they are always a welcome sight. Dennis Smith has been a cook at the Springs Rescue Mission, and is famous among the staff and guests for his cookies. In fact, Dennis’s cookies have been sold at a number of local coffee shops, and the raw dough was sold wholesale to a vendor at our local baseball stadium. Dennis makes perfectly soft tuxedo chocolate chip cookies full of butter, brown sugar, white chocolate, and dark chocolate chips.“Dennis The Baker,” as he is known now, did not always have a sweet side. He spent many years struggling with violence and drug addiction. Through-out his troubled years, he never forgot the time he spent baking cookies with his aunt Merna. “She was the most decent adult in my life. As a kid, she loved me unconditionally” says Dennis. Aunt Merna not only showed Dennis how to bake, but she showed him that he was worth investing in. Now many years later Dennis looks forward to sharing his cookies and stories with his nieces and nephews, and his beautiful daughter Donna.Anyone can make a dramatic impact in a child's life by simply spending time, measuring out a few ingredients, patiently waiting and enjoying fresh baked cookies. We encourage everyone with a young person in their life to look up an old recipe and create their own cookie story!

Mission Catering's Chocolate Tuxedo Cookies

These quick and easy cookies are perfect to make for the upcoming holiday season!

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Combine and cream softened butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs.
3. Mix together dry ingredients — flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda — and sift them in.
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2. Last, add the chocolate chips.
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2. Drop rounded spoonfuls of the dough onto a greased baking sheet (can also use a silicone baking mat, as we did).
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2. Bake for 8 minutes.
3. Let rest for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.