Devena Thomsen, “The Cookie Lady,” of Narrows Glen, showcasing her famous chocolate mint cookie. (Photo courtesy of Narrows Glen)
Devena Thomsen of Narrows Glen, an SRG senior living community in Tacoma, WA, leads a double life concocting delicious cookies.
Known as “The Cookie Lady,” Thomsen is well-known for her famous chocolate mint cookies. At 90 years old, she has a passion and track record for baking more than 24,000 cookies for the senior living community over the past 14 years.
Thomsen’s interest in baking and cooking was sparked at a young age, and she found her first-ever cookie recipe on the back of a Quaker oatmeal package. In junior high school, her baking skills peaked when making a pie recipe. Since then, she has continued to excel in baking.
Today, her neighbors and staff at Narrows Glen delight in her cookies. Thomsen is able to work from a full kitchen, which allows her to make cookies for everyone at her leisure.
Thomsen enjoys bringing smiles to people’s faces and spreading kindness via baked goods. Below is her chocolate mint cookie recipe for anyone interested in attempting The Cookie Lady’s creation:
Chocolate mint cookies recipe
By Devena Thomsen (The Cookie Lady)
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 ½ cup flour
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
- 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips
- 4 packages Andes mints
- 2 eggs
Baking instructions:
In a large saucepan, melt butter and sugar with water over medium-low heat. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes only.
Beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time. Stir in the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix thoroughly, then chill for one hour.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Cover a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper, and place the balls 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. The cookies will all be flat. Remove them from the oven and immediately place one Andes mint (wrapper still on) on each cookie. When the mint softens (allow 3 to 4 minutes), open it and swirl it over the top of the cookie.
Lift the cookies from the cookie sheet onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 100 cookies.
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