Yet another reason Ramaz students claim to miss school during our current period of social distancing is their love for the school’s famous chocolate chip cookies. Everyone can agree that a highlight of coming into school on Fridays is not only sharing excitement in the nearing weekend but also indulging in the soft—but not too soft— delicious Friday cookies. Recently, instead of GO members delivering the cookies directly to each classroom the kitchen staff has decided to put a large platter in front of the lounges for students to help themselves. Many problems have arisen due to this updated distribution procedure, one of the most significant being a cookie shortage. More often than not, the cookies run out quickly and leave many students disappointed. With the cookies distributed to only three locations in the building, each spot must then serve an average of 133 students, as opposed to when the cookies are distributed room-to-room with around 15-20 students per classroom. 

Now students have to run, and sometimes even stampede, working their sharpest elbow maneuvers, to get to the tables before the cookies run out, which needless to say is not very (Ra)mentsch-like. 

And lastly, and especially now with the spread of a pandemic, students do not appreciate the health hazard posed by everyone reaching out their hands, touching and breathing on food. When students finally all come back to school, hopefully the cookie distribution will go back to the way it once was: a safer, cleaner, and more civilized way to enjoy one of Ramaz’s finest treats.

Needless to say, no matter where the cookies are served, students are definitely missing this delicious part of their Fridays. To help get everyone through the cookie dry-spell, here is a chocolate chip recipe to satisfy students’ cravings:  

Ingredients:  

1½ Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ stick unsalted butter

¼ cup of vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1½ cups chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. Beat the butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer until creamy (about 5 minutes). 
4. Mix 1 teaspoon water and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in flour mixture.
5. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. 
6. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake for about 20 minutes until deep golden brown.