Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe From Minnesota’s Fair

Hello, I’m Naznin of Naznin’s Kitchen, and I want to share with you my take on the Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe — a recipe inspired by the famous Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar at the Minnesota State Fair.

If you’ve ever stood in line at that fair, eyeing the bucket of golden cookies dripping with warm chocolate chips, you know this is the kind of cookie that makes people linger.

Sweet Martha’s Cookies are known for being chewy inside, slightly crisp at the edge, and just made for eating straight from a bucket (or a jar!).

In this post, I’ll walk you through everything — ingredients, tips, variations, and pitfalls — as I guide you step by step like I’m right there in your kitchen. We’ll talk about flour, mixer speed, chilling, baking sheets, and that little sprinkle of finishing salt.

I’ll also share memories from my experiments (and yummy failures), so you feel confident making this cookies recipe at home. Let’s get baking!

Easy Copycat Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe To Try

Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe — mini chocolate-chip cookies inspired by the Minnesota State Fair favorite

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: About 25 minutes of active work, plus 45 minutes to overnight for chilling
• Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes per batch
• Total Time: Around 1 hour (or up to 12+ hours if chilling overnight)
• Cuisine: American / Fair-food / Dessert
• Course: Dessert / Snack
• Yield: Makes about 70–90 mini cookies, depending on size
• Calories: Roughly 40–60 kcal per mini cookie (estimate)

What Are Sweet Martha’s Cookies?

Sweet Martha’s Cookies are bite-sized chocolate chip cookies sold by the bucket at the Minnesota State Fair.

The famous Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar stand bakes millions each season and is a true fair icon. These cookies are warm, soft inside, slightly crisp at the edges, and packed with mini chocolate chips.

My version keeps that same texture using simple ingredients like cake flour, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla — perfect for home bakers.

Where Are Sweet Martha’s Cookies From?

Sweet Martha’s Cookies come from Minnesota, where the Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar has been a fair favorite since 1979. Sold by the bucket, they’re a must-have treat for fair visitors.

Since the fair happens only once a year, many fans make this Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe at home to enjoy that fair-style flavor anytime.

What Are The Ingredients In Sweet Martha’s Cookies?

Here’s the ingredient list I use — with notes and optional swaps:

• 2 cups cake flour, minus 2 tablespoons
• 1 ⅔ cups bread flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2½ sticks (about 1¼ cups) salted butter, softened
• 1¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (optional — gives a café-style depth; use only if you like a mild coffee undertone)
• 3 cups mini chocolate chips, semi-sweet
• Finishing salt (a pinch) for sprinkling just after baking

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• If you don’t have cake flour, you can make a substitute: take 1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Use that for the “cake flour” portion.
• Bread flour gives extra chewiness and structure because of higher gluten.
• The espresso powder is optional — it doesn’t make the cookies taste like coffee, but it deepens the chocolate flavor.
• Use mini chocolate chips so that you get chocolate in every small bite.
• You may use unsalted butter — but then increase sea salt by ¼ teaspoon extra.
• If you prefer a slightly less sweet cookie, reduce the granulated sugar by 1 or 2 tablespoons (but don’t go too far or texture will change).

The proportions here are based on well-known copycat versions of Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar cookies. Bad Batch Baking+2Cooking Frog+2

Instructions

Here’s how I make them in my kitchen — step by step, with tips and what to watch for.

1. Prepare Dry (Flour) Mixture

• In a mixing bowl (or large bowl), whisk together cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and espresso powder (if using). Don’t add the finishing salt yet.
• Make sure there are no lumps; whisk until uniform.

2. Cream Butter And Sugars

• In a separate mixing bowl (use your stand mixer or hand mixer), cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. Use medium speed, about 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy (but don’t overdo it).
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is incorporated.

3. Add Eggs & Vanilla

• Add the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition.
• Add vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

4. Combine Wet & Dry

• Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet mixture.
• Mix only until just combined — it’s okay if a few streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
• Use a spatula to fold in the mini chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

5. Portion & Chill The Dough

• Divide the dough into four equal parts (you can eyeball it).
• Shape each part into a rectangular disk about ½ inch thick.
• Wrap each disk in plastic wrap.
• Chill in the freezer for about 45 minutes. (You can chill longer — 2 hours or overnight works too.)

My experience tip: I found the cookie texture more reliable when the dough is colder. Once, I skipped chilling and the cookies spread too much and became too flat. Chilling gives you control.

6. Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheets

• Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
• Line your baking sheets with parchment paper (or silicone mats).

7. Cut Dough Into Cookie Dough Pieces

• Take one chilled disk, unwrap it, and lightly roll with a rolling pin (still wrapped) just to even it out.
• Unwrap and use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into roughly ½-inch strips, then cross-cut into ~½-inch squares. These are your cookie dough pieces (tiny, like thumbnails).
• As you cut, place the pieces on the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving ~1 inch between them.

8. Bake

• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Aim to bake until edges are just set but centers still look a tad soft.
• The cookies will continue to cook a little after you remove them.

9. Finish & Cool

• Immediately after removing from oven, sprinkle a light pinch of finishing salt over the cookies.
• Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for ~3–5 minutes (they firm up as they cool).
• Then transfer them to a cooling rack.

10. Repeat

• Continue with the remaining dough, baking in batches until all cookie pieces are done.

Pairing & Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm — that’s when these cookies are magical. The chocolate is gooey, and texture is at its best.
• Pair with ice-cold milk, just like the fair vendors do.
• Try sandwiching two cookies with vanilla ice cream (mini cookie ice cream sandwiches).
• Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate or drizzle more chocolate on top.
• Store cooled cookies in an airtight jar or bucket (to mimic “Cookie Jar” feel) for a few days. If they lose some freshness, warm them briefly in oven or air fryer to revive softness. (A tip from the fair’s fans: a 1-minute spin in a 400 °F air fryer can bring back the gooey center. Axios)

Pro Tips For Perfect Copycat Sweet Martha’s Cookies

1. Use mini chocolate chips — ensures chocolate in every bite.
2. Chill dough well — it prevents over-spreading.
3. Don’t overmix after adding flour or chips — stop when just combined.
4. Bake short — 6–8 minutes — you want centers slightly underdone.
5. Sprinkle finishing salt immediately so it adheres while cookies are hot.
6. Use quality butter — butter flavor is key.
7. Watch oven hot spots — rotate baking sheets mid-bake if needed.
8. Bake in small batches so cookies go into the oven fresh (warm cookies are more irresistible).
9. If your cookies come out too flat, you can reduce the granulated sugar slightly or chill longer.
10. Label your baking sheets (top/bottom) — sometimes the one on top bakes faster; you may adjust bake time.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Overbaking — cookies turn crisp all through, losing that gooey center.
• Not chilling dough — leads to runaway spreading.
• Cutting pieces too big — defeats the small “bucket cookie” magic.
• Overmixing — tough texture.
• Not sprinkling salt — you lose contrast.
• Crowding baking sheets — cookies may join or not bake evenly.
• Using large chocolate chunks — bite-sized cookies need mini chips.
• Skipping parchment or silicone — cookies stick or brown unevenly.
• Opening oven too early — disturbs rising/setting.

My Personal Experience & Story

When I first attempted a Sweet Martha’s copycat recipe, I felt daunted by all the precision in flour ratios, mixer speeds, and chilling time.

My first batch spread too thin and looked like pancakes! But on the second try — after I made sure the dough was cold and I cut the dough pieces small — the result felt much closer to those bucket cookies I remembered from fairs.

I recall the smell: warm butter, melted chocolate, and a tiny hint of espresso (in my version) drifting through the kitchen. I served them in a big jar I borrowed from my own cookie collection, and when my family dug in, they closed their eyes at the first bite. That’s when I knew: I had made something special, something with that fair-style magic.

When people visit my kitchen, they often ask “Did you bring the fair to us?” And that’s exactly what I aim for with this Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe — a small taste of the Minnesota State Fair, made in your home kitchen, for your family or guests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Give this Sweet Martha’s Cookie Recipe a try and fill your kitchen with that fair-style cookie aroma. Share your photos or comments — I’d love to hear how yours turned out!

Want more ideas? Try my Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Without Chocolate Chips or Low Sodium Cookies Recipe: Healthier Delights for tasty twists. Happy baking and enjoy every bite!