Have you looked in the freezer section at your grocery store for frozen Otis Spunkmeyer cookies? Our stores just started carrying them a few months ago. Anyway, here's a copy cat recipe for them in the meantime.

This is the prototypical cookie dough ("primordial cookie soup" if you will) from which all my other recipes are based. The chilled dough drops will approximate Otis Spunkmeyer's size, consistency, and taste.

OTIS SPUNKMEYER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
(copycat recipe)

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder*
1 cup brown sugar, light, packed
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)**
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco Butter Flavor)**
2 large eggs
1 (10-12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and mix with a whisk. Set aside.

Place sugars, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter and shortening in a microwave oven (use a microwave safe mixing bowl or a glass measuring cup) stopping and stirring every 15 seconds. Stop when the butter is more of a paste (usually about 45-60 seconds). Pour over the sugar mixture and beat well. Add each egg separately beating until creamy. Add flour mixture (1/2 cup at a time) while beating. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours in covered bowl.

TO BAKE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 15 minutes prior to first batch.

Drop onto a waxed paper lined, room-temperature, air-bake cookie sheet in large rounded tablespoonful size (or small ice-cream scooper).

Bake 10-12 minutes checking every two minutes after 8 minutes for golden brown appearance. Remove sheet from oven and let stand 5 minutes before transferring to a cool/flat surface. Rinse and dry cookie sheet between batches.

*May substituted 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp corn starch for 2 tsp baking powder

**May substitute 7/8 cup butter, salted (1 3/4 sticks, melted) or may substitute 1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco Vegetable Shortening for the 50%-50% butter/shortening mixture.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies