© 2008 Miri Rotkovitz

Like lots of Americans, I'm a big fan of chocolate chip cookies. But keep those big, buttery, ultra-sweet, gooey-chipped, warm-from-the-oven cookies to yourself. Strange as it may seem, my favorite recipe is the one my Aunt Clara used on Passover. I used to wonder if my love of these cookies was primarily sentimental. Then I took them to a summertime cookout, and watched in amazement as a bunch of burger-stuffed people forgot how full they were and devoured every last cookie. A few swore they tasted like cookies they'd enjoyed in Italy, likely thanks to the ground hazelnuts in the recipe. Everyone was floored when I revealed that the cookies were made with a Passover recipe. Whether or not you keep kosher or observe Passover, these Passover Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies are great if you like a crunchy cookie with an almost shortbread-like crumb. You can leave the cinnamon out if you want to taste the original recipe, but let's pretend you didn't hear that from your Guide to Herbs and Spices!