Shiny Brownie Cookie Memories

DEAR SOS: There used to be a wonderful large, chocolate brownie-type cookie served at snack time at Laurel Avenue Elementary School in West Hollywood, circa 1960. Any chance of a recipe? Yum.

DEE DEE MESSINA, Los Angeles

DEAR DEE DEE: The Los Angeles City School District supplied this recipe from its 1961 files. The cookies are partly cooked but not baked. Lynn Uusitalo, nutrition specialist for the district, recommends placing the batter over a bowl of hot water while scooping the batter onto the baking sheet to prevent the dough from hardening quickly. “The cookies should be moist and shiny, not dry and crumbly,” she said.

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City Schools Chocolate Cookies

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 1/4 cups rolled quick-cooking oats

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Bring sugar, cocoa and milk to full rolling boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately stir in butter, peanut butter, oats and vanilla.

* Drop by teaspoonful onto lightly buttered baking sheet. Let cool.

6 dozen cookies. Each cookie: 49 calories; 8 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.09 gram fiber.

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