Cornelliana For Generations of Alums, ‘Straight Cookies’ Were a Beloved Treat Stories You May Like Gary and the Chocolate Factory: Alum Is Living the Sweet Life A Staple of Upstate BBQs, ‘Cornell Chicken’ is a Grilling Tradition Classic ‘Cornell Bread’ Is Still a Favorite of Health-Conscious Bakers The iconic, chocolatey comestibles are no longer a fixture on the Hill—but we have a recipe so you can make them at home! By Joe Wilensky & Beth Saulnier For Risa Mensch Garon ’69 and her husband, Howie Garon ’69, the chocolate-chip cookies at Willard Straight Hall were the recipe for a lifetime of love. The couple met in the Ivy Room at the beginning of their sophomore year, introduced by a friend. Chatting over the legendarily tasty cookies, they hit it off. “I had a boyfriend at the time, and Howie had a girlfriend,” Risa recalls. “That ended fast.” Married the summer after graduation, they’ve been followed on the Hill by two Cornellian children (and a grandchild who’s a current student). And in summer 2019, Risa surprised Howie with a 50th anniversary trip to campus—complete with a visit to the Straight, where a dining manager provided a fresh batch of the famed cookies, which haven’t been widely available in decades. The Garons on campus in 1966. (Provided) “A lot of couples take trips around the world, and that is all very lovely,” Risa observes. “But I wanted something to memorialize when we met, and the meaning of our relationship.” Both Risa and Howie attribute their wedded bliss, in large part, to that first meeting over the famed cookies and to similar Ivy Room dates thereafter. The couple is among the many Cornellians who have fond memories of the rich, chocolatey, often-still-warm treats—a Straight mainstay for many years. Anniversary cookies in the Ivy Room. (Mark H. Anbinder) While beloved to 1960s-era alums like the Garons, the cookies gained even wider Big Red fame in the 1970s and ’80s. Back then—served fresh along with milk or coffee—they were the centerpiece of snack-laden respites known as “Straight Breaks,” held in the late evening. The tradition of the cookies—typically sold for 25 cents apiece—seems to have ended sometime in the 1990s, dining officials say, shortly before baking functions moved from the Straight into the new Appel Commons in the early 2000s. (In 2017, the Class of 1987 even made a special request to bring the recipe out of retirement for its 30th Reunion, says senior dining manager Troy Buchanan, who resurrected the cookies both for that event and for the Garons’ anniversary.) So what’s a Straight Cookie fan to do? The good news is that the treats are easily baked at home. In the 1970s and ’80s, the cookies were the centerpiece of snack-laden respites known as “Straight Breaks,” held in the late evening. The basic ingredients and process are familiar to anyone who has made the classic Toll House recipe, with a notable addition: a hefty portion of cocoa powder. But as to an “official,” historically accurate recipe: it’s complicated. For one thing, in their early days the cookies reportedly contained lard—now a no-no for a number of reasons, including the need to be inclusive of a broader range of diets. A Google search reveals two versions of the recipe: one posted in 2021 as part of the online Cornell Family Cookbook, another from “Dear Uncle Ezra” (once a popular Big Red advice-and-info column) originally published in 1998. Straight Cookies may have vanished from their namesake, but you can make them at home! (Lindsay France / Cornell University) Stories You May Like Gary and the Chocolate Factory: Alum Is Living the Sweet Life A Staple of Upstate BBQs, ‘Cornell Chicken’ is a Grilling Tradition Both have the imprimatur of having been provided by Cornell Dining staff—but they’re not the same. Never mind the fact that the Uncle Ezra one makes a gigantic quantity, with the recipe including 10 cups of flour and nearly a dozen eggs. Even when that’s scaled down, though, the ingredient ratios don’t precisely match up—plus, only the Ezra one (which notes that the recipe has changed over the years) contains powdered milk. So we sallied forth to the Cornellians test kitchen—whence we produced our versions of the recipes for Cornell Bread and Cornell Chicken—and came up with a household-sized batch that splits the difference (see below), with thumbs-up from our in-house tasters. The cocoa powder gives the dough a deep chocolate color. (Beth Saulnier / Cornell University) (While both online versions call for margarine, we’re including butter as an option, since many home bakers prefer it.) Regardless of the particulars, the fact remains that—like Proust’s madeleine—Straight Cookies trigger vivid and delectable memories for generations of Cornellians. They include Vivian Cok Harmeyer ’80, an Arts & Sciences alum who lived in a West Campus U-Hall her freshman year—enabling myriad late-night forays to the Straight. “It was always a sweet, delightful experience to take that first big bite; the chips were like warm chocolate syrup and barely retained their shape inside the cookie,” she recalls. “It’s amazing that, more than 45 years later, I can still imagine that wonderful treat.” ‘Straight Cookies’ Prefer to print? Here’s a downloadable PDF! 🍪 ‘Straight Cookies’ Recipe Yield: About 3 dozen. Ingredients 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine 1 c. granulated sugar ¾ c. light brown sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 large eggs 2½ c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda ⅓ c. cocoa powder ¼ c. powdered milk 1½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips Directions Preheat oven to 350 °F. Cream together butter or margarine, sugars, and salt. Add vanilla, then add eggs one at a time, mixing between each. Scrape down bowl. Dough going into the oven in the Cornellians test kitchen. (Beth Saulnier / Cornell University) In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cocoa, and powdered milk. Add dry ingredients to wet and combine thoroughly, then mix in chocolate chips. Drop batter onto cookie sheets by generous spoonfuls and bake for 12 minutes; cookies should still be soft. Allow to cool before transferring. Top: Video by Cornell University. Published September 12, 2023 Do you have fond memories of Straight Cookies? Comments Judith Ruchlis Eisenberg, Class of 1969 12 Sep, 2023 I was the mutual friend that introduced the Garons. I’m so happy for them! I, too met my husband at Cornell, Herbert Eisenberg, a graduate student in electrical engineering. We also met in the Straight because we were taking a photography class together and used the dark room there. My husband signed up to use the room right after me and the rest is history. Our daughter graduated in 1998 so we are truly a Cornell family. Reply Pam Hanna, Class of 1975 13 Sep, 2023 Oh yum! Thanks for this memory! I will definitely be making that recipe. AND thanks too for the memories of the “Straight Break” ritual. At 9 pm we all left the libraries (mostly Uris Libe for all undergrads then) to head to the Straight Ivy Room for coffee & a cookie, and to see friends. Very sorry that’s not a “thing” anymore, I guess. Our son (class of 2016) didn’t get to do it. Students can work just about everywhere now. That’s a good thing, I guess ……. Reply Heidi Ford, Class of 1987 13 Sep, 2023 The new recipe is not the same as the old one. The originally cookies were flat. Believe me, I know. I ate an embarrassingly large quantity of them while an undergraduate. Reply Shelley Winkler, Class of 1976 17 Sep, 2023 True! The original cookies were large and flat! Loved them so much. How delightful it was to have something wonderful to lighten an evening of academic work. Maybe some other treat could be offered around study centers now? And a little jolting to hear they may have had lard as I ate no pork products, or so I thought! Reply Martha Donovan, Class of 1963 17 Sep, 2023 The original recipe for toll house cookies, printed on the bag of Nestles morsels, called for Crisco, not lard. When that changed to butter I tried it but did not like. I still use Crisco when I make them, and they are totally delicious. So perhaps you were not eating pork. Reply Rick Curreri, Class of 1973 17 Sep, 2023 Definitely large and flat. I remember having to break them in half in order to dunk them in my coffee or hot chocolate. Reply Linda Gilbert Steele, Class of 1974 19 Sep, 2023 I agree! They were huge! My work study job was in the Straight kitchen as a professional cake and pie cutter but I also had a turn at making those large, flat and normal (not cocoa powdered) cookies. They were warm and amazing! I graduated in 1974 and never saw a little brown one. I also fondly remember the wonderful Straight Kitchen Ladies who laughed at me when I didn’t know how to cut a watermelon! They taught me a lot and were an important part of my education too. ❤️ Reply Susan Dowben Day, Class of 1986 30 Jul, 2024 They were large and flat with a chewy center and crispy edges. This recipe doesn’t do that and it’s also too chocolatey – the ones I remember had more of a hint of chocolate milk rather than a double chocolate flavor. I came up with my own recipe and I used 1 teaspoon of cocoa to 1/4 cup of powdered milk. Reply Vasiliki (Kiki) Angelopoulos Volkwein, Class of 1964 17 Sep, 2023 My husband, James F Volkwein ’62 and ’68, and I also met at Cornell in grad school at a reception in Sage Hall. We returned in 2022 to celebrate the 60th year of our meeting with our two sons and five grandchildren. Staying at the Statler Hotel for five days we visited the campus and hiked all over with our family. It was a great joy to share our memories. These included touring the Botanical Gardens, hiking the Cascadilla Gorge, enjoying a drink on the patio at Beebe Lake, hiking the Taughannock Falls followed by watching the July 4 fireworks, and playing golf on the Cornell course. (And yes, we loved the Straight cookies!) Reply Debra Hertz, Class of 1976 17 Sep, 2023 Like others have noted, when I was there ‘72-‘76 they were larger and flatter and also so warm and delicious! Sad to hear they’re no longer a staple of late night studying! Reply Kathleen Carroll 17 Sep, 2023 i wish they would provide all the recipes so we could experiment. I have fond memories too of very flat & big cookies! Only with those cookies did I dare “try” coffee. I would dip the Straight cookie deep into the coffee, then quickly suck the coffee out and swallow. 😂. How could it be anything but sugary deliciousness. I never made me into a coffee drinker though… I’m sad though that Straight Breaks no longer exist. I wonder why? – Too much bean counting? – Too much diet diversity to easily execute? – As someone suggested, students are too spread out as to where they study Anyone? Reply Donna Perine Spinella, Class of 1978 4 Oct, 2023 I’m with you, Kathleen! I wish that both of the orginal recipes would be provided. Not exactly a heartbreak to have to “test” two different batches of delicious chocolate cookies! Certainly with all the Food Science and Nutrition majors Cornell has turned out, a Straight Cookie Angel could come to our aid???? Reply Beth Saulnier 4 Oct, 2023 Hi, the story includes links to both recipes! The blue text in those sentences are links to the respective pages. Happy baking! Reply Linda Byard, Class of 1968 17 Sep, 2023 I remember eating ice cream (flavor: bittersweet) with Cory during Ivy breaks while listening to Sonny and Cher singing “I Got You Babe.” Reply Jeri Frank, Class of 1976 17 Sep, 2023 I’m sorry I missed all the fun and cookies at the Straight Breaks. I was always hard at work at Mann Library until 11 pm when it closed, and I wasn’t going to walk back and forth to the Straight in the middle of it. Since I was out doing fun things (folk dancing, Bound for Glory concerts, Saturday night dates, etc.) other times, I was nose to the grindstone all the rest of the time. Too bad, though, that I missed all the cookies! Reply Andrea, Class of 1989 17 Sep, 2023 Maybe at some point Straight cookies were made with the individual ingredients in the recipe here, but when I worked in the Straight in the late 1980s, the main ingredients were large boxes of chocolate chip cookie mix (possibly General Mills) and bags of hot cocoa mix. They were baked fresh, but they were not what I would call from scratch. Reply Angela Helms (Anello), Class of 1988 18 Nov, 2023 Yes I remember that too! I also worked in dining in 1985-6 and they had hot cocoa mix in them and they were flat. Reply Greacian Goeke, Class of 1976 18 Sep, 2023 At the risk of bursting some nostalgia bubbles…In my freshman year, 1971, I learned from a friend who worked in the Straight kitchen that the cookies were made from a dry mix that came in a commercial-sized box. He even showed me one of the boxes. The home-cooked illusion was sadly punctured. But it didn’t keep me from enjoying the cookies, large and flat with molten chocolate pools. Reply Irene M. Labombarde, Class of 1981 18 Sep, 2023 I was in the Cornell Chorus all four years (how I met my husband!). We offered singing Valentines — customers could pay to have Straight cookies delivered to someone with a song in four-part harmony: You need a Straight break, you need a Straight break You’re nerding out just a little too much. You need a Straight break, you need a Straight break So take some time out, time out to munch! Reply Debra Chesman, Class of 1981 21 Sep, 2023 I remember delivering singing cookie breaks from the Chorus, too! One of the songs we did was to the tune of Paul Simon’s 59th Street Bridge Song. Reply Irene M. (Albano) Labombarde, Class of 1981 18 Sep, 2023 And humming the first tune reminded me of the second delivery song: (to the tune of “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”) A friend of yours is mighty concerned Afraid you work too hard She (or he) asked us to tell you to rest for awhile Which we do in a singing card Willard Straight Cookies (yum yum) We bring them here for you (yum yum yum) Willard Straight Cookies Munch out on one or two! Reply Karen Beckvar, Class of 1975 18 Sep, 2023 I worked at the Straight and we had a special shift for cashiers to handle the “Straight Break”. The cookies in the early seventies were large and flat and not dark brown. They likely were made from a mix but were freshly baked to be ready and warm for the 9:00 Straight Break. Reply Paula Amols, Class of 1975 23 Jul, 2024 I was the late night dining manager at the Straight in the late 80s, so oversaw the shift when those cookies were made. At that time they were made from a large boxed mix to which cocoa powder was added–they weren’t made from scratch. And yes,they were large and flat, served warm and soft. We’d set out large trays of them by the register and they’d sell fast! Reply David Wallenstein, Class of 1989 23 Jul, 2024 I think you’re trying too hard to make a good cookie recipe. I was one of the cookie makers approx 1987-1989. They were great when they were still warm, but once they cooled they were crap. Fortunately, they never lasted that long. The ingredients were General Mills Chocolate Flavored Chip Cookie Mix and Nestle Whipper Mix. Plus water, I don’t think there was anything else. The cookie mix came in a very plain box that basically just said “cookie”. It had “chocolate flavored chips” that didn’t contain enough chocolate to legally call them “chocolate chips”. Whipper mix is the same thing we used in the hot chocolate machines. If you really want to duplicate the late 80’s version of the recipe, find the cheapest generic institutional cookie mix you can find and add decent quality cocoa mix. Reply Jonathan Turetsky, Class of 1977 23 Jul, 2024 I appreciate the comments of those remembering the boxed cookie mix. To be honest, I don’t recall eating the cookies at the Straight (my sweet indulgences were Bittersweet ice cream from the Dairy Bar or giant ice cream cones from King Submarine). But a few of our roommates (10 of us shared a house in Brooktondale) worked in Cornell Dining, and more than once (so I will not share any names) brought home a box of mix for “Straight cookies”. They mixed it with water and baked them “fresh”, and they were absolutely delicious, if not really home made. It’s also possible, though I can’t remember with certainty, that the memory could be somewhat clouded in a haze of homegrown smoke. Reply Nanci O'Connell, Class of 1987 24 Jul, 2024 The original straight cookies were flat (as many already mentioned) and did not have cocoa powder in them. One semester I had a work study job cleaning the bakery after the bakers went home and occassionally we would find a tray of straight cookies left in the bakery. Yes, we ate them all!! They were soft when warm and got pretty hard when cooled. When someone finds the original recipe please let me know!! Reply Tammy (Sand) Shaw, Class of 1986 31 Jul, 2024 The cookies were large and flat and they had a little bit of a chocolate flavor because hot chocolate mix was the secret ingredient. I worked as a baker’s assistant and helped make many batches my freshman year.. Reply Jeffrey Cowan, Class of 1986 5 Dec, 2024 The greatest chocolate chip cookie ever, to this day. And the best reason to take a study break at 9 p.m. My twin sons (Arts ’27) are skeptical of my praise, but those of us who were there know. 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