Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
By Paula Dean

I’m in love with these cookies and also very sad since this is the last time I will ever bake them. Hershey’s has discontinued the main ingredient. I used to be able to find the chocolate raspberry baking pieces at my local grocery store and then one day they were gone. I immediately went to the Hershey’s website only to discover they were no longer listed. I sent an email to Hershey’s urging them to bring them back and to let me know if there were anymore packages available in the Houston area. As luck would have it, I received a reply and headed over to the River Oaks Randall’s where I bought the last bag! This was over a year ago and I have been holding on this piece of heaven ever since, waiting for the perfect occasion.

That day has finally come. When I bake cookies I usually have enough for 2 occasions, so I try to be strategic about splitting up the cookies…I don’t want to end up with too many on my waistline. The two lucky recipients of this chocolate goodness are my Grandpa and my old boss Anita.

My Grandpa is 99 and recently broke his hip, had hip replacement surgery, and is temporarily living in a rehabilitation facility so he can undergo physical therapy everyday for several weeks to learn how to walk again. He has a serious sweet tooth and those genes were passed onto me. At his age I hope he is around long enough for this pain and suffering to be worth it. So I thought I’d cheer him up with a package of cookies and some cross word puzzles to keep him occupied.

Also Anita’s birthday was on Halloween, so I owed her some goodies. She was my boss for several years when I first started working and she is responsible for molding me into the employee that I am today.