Go To School Cookies
Go to School Cookies might just be the yummiest cookie I have ever tasted! They pack an explosion of deep chocolate flavor, are chewy on the interior with crunchy edges, and are finished with a blanket of creamy almond-vanilla frosting. They are the quintessential after school treat with a glass of milk and are a breeze to pull together.
My Great Aunt Liz frequently made Go to School Cookies for my Dad and his five siblings, who she helped raise, and then passed the recipe along to them when they were grown. My mom was delighted to inherit this special recipe. Whenever she made them, I'm not sure who was more excited, my brothers and me, or my Dad!
As perfectly beloved as these cookies are in our family, I have played with the recipe over the years, and made some small modifications to deepen the chocolate flavor with coffee and chocolate chips. I also added a touch of almond extract to the classic vanilla frosting.
No one in my family knows why they are called, "Go to School Cookies." But as a nod to the name, through the generations, our family tradition is to make them to welcome in the back to school season. I always make a batch with my kids the day before school starts and they love bringing them in for a special first day treat. They always bring in extras to share with their friends. Whenever we make them, I never miss the opportunity to tell my kids about where the recipe came from and hope that making these will become a tradition for them and their kids someday too!
Recipe Featured in Bake from Scratch Magazine!
I was so honored that this beloved family recipe was featured in the Passed Down segment of the July/August 2024 issue of my most favorite baking magazine -Bake from Scratch!
Holiday Variation: Chocolate Peppermint "Go to School" Cookies
While these cookies are a beloved back-to-school tradition in our family, their rich, dark chocolate base makes them absolute magic for Christmas cookie boxes and holiday trays. Trading the warm almond extract for cool peppermint transforms them into a rich, festive holiday treat that tastes just like a peppermint bark brownie.
How to Make the Holiday Swap
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The Peppermint Frosting: Omit the 1/2 tsp almond extract from the frosting recipe and replace it with 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract. Keep the vanilla extract as-is—it rounds out the peppermint so it tastes soft and sweet rather than overpowering.
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The Festive Crunch: Skip the rainbow sprinkles and press crushed candy canes or crushed peppermint candies on top of the fresh frosting.
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Make It a Sandwich Cookie: For extra festive flair, scoop a generous layer of peppermint frosting between two chocolate cookies, then roll the exposed frosting edges in finely crushed candy cane bits.
Baker’s Tip: Always reach for pure peppermint extract rather than generic "mint" extract! Pure peppermint gives you that crisp, candy-cane finish, whereas general mint extract often contains spearmint, which can lean a bit like toothpaste.
COOKIES:
- BUTTER: Unsalted and room temperature
- GRANULATED SUGAR
- LIGHT BROWN SUGAR packed
- UNSWEETENED COCOA: Dutch processed powder
- KOSHER SALT
- BAKING POWDER
- BAKING SODA
- VANILLA EXTRACT
- EGG: Large
- BREWED COFFEE (or whole milk can be substituted)
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
- MINI SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
- RAINBOW SPRINKLES (optional)
FROSTING
- UNSALTED BUTTER: room temperature
- CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR: preferably sifted
- WHOLE MILK
- VANILLA EXTRACT
- ALMOND EXTRACT
Go To School Cookies
Go To School Cookies are a scrumptious taste explosion of deep chocolate, vanilla and almond. They provide a wonderful contrast of chewy, crunchy and creamy textures and come together very easily.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted buttered (softened)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 TBSP espresso or coffee (whole milk is good substitute if preferred)
- 1 cup + 2 TBSP flour
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
FROSTING
- 1/4 unsalted butter – room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 TBSP whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat over to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Beat together butter, sugars, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and vanilla.
- Add the egg and espresso/coffee- beating until smooth.
- Add flour and beat for 20 seconds or so – until incorporated.
- Add chocolate chips and either stir by hand or mix for 10 seconds.
- Using an ice cream scooper, place 12 cookies per parchment lined baking sheet
- Bake for 12 – 14 minutes.
- Let cookies cool on a grate.
FROSTING
- While cookies are cooling, whip room temperature butter for about 3 minutes in a standing mixer.
- Add powdered sugar.
- Add 3 TBSP of milk and extracts.
ASSEMBLY
- Frost cooled cookies with about 1 TBSP of frosting each.
- Add sprinkles if desired
Notes
Go to School Cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3 days. I promise they won’t last that long! 😉
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24 cookies
Find it online: https://familytreefoodie.com/go-to-school-cookies-2/
My Great Grandmother made these too! We thought she made up the recipe but now I wonder if this was a recipe that got around. Unless we are somehow related lol
Her recipe calls for shortening instead of butter. We always made them at Christmas time. I googled the name for kicks and found your story.
I love it! Thanks so much for sharing. Do you have any idea where the name comes from? We have always leaned in heavy and made them a back to school tradition, but I like to make a peppermint version of them around the holidays. What flavor do you use for the frosting?
No one had any idea where the name came from and they never thought to ask!
We use vanilla icing and then use Christmas sprinkles or colored sugar. It’s always everyone’s favorite. My Mom would make a variety of Christmas cookies then make trays to give out as gifts to neighbors, coworkers, etc. That cookie was always looked for first lol. The following year, she would be asked if she was making ‘those Go to Schools’ again lol If your Aunt lived in NY, I really wonder if they crossed paths along the way somewhere. I’ve never seen this recipe anywhere else.
I love this, Kathleen! Sounds like they are as much of a hit in your family as they are in mine! 🙂 Happy Holidays!
My Great Grandmother made these too! We thought she made up the recipe but now I wonder if this was a recipe that got around. Unless we are somehow related lol
Her recipe calls for shortening instead of butter. We always made them at Christmas time. I googled the name for kicks and found your story.
My grandmother also gave us a “Go To School Cookie” recipe and our family always loved them. Her recipe also used shortening and unsweetened chocolate squares. I was looking on the internet for similar recipes because my cookies haven’t been coming out very good lately. The batter seems a bit grainy. I don’t know if chocolate is different now or what.
Hi Virginia. Thanks for your comment. I love that your grandmother made these also. They are not a very common cookie. I also found the original recipe to have a slightly grainy consistency and modified this recipe accordingly. If you give it a try, let me know what you think!