Lifestyle
DoubleTree By Hilton Is Giving Away Its Iconic Cookies To Anyone For National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
Chocolate chip cookie lovers will have a reason to celebrate this Aug. 4, as DoubleTree by Hilton marks National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day by handing out its famous cookies to anyone who stops by — no reservations required.
The brands nearly 400 U.S. locations will welcome hotel guests, locals, and first‑time visitors alike with a complimentary chocolate chip cookie.
“On National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, were proud to extend that warmth beyond our hotel guests, offering a taste of the welcoming service that makes travelers feel genuinely cared for,” said Shawn McAteer, brand leader, DoubleTree by Hilton. “Our chocolate chip cookie at check-in remains a timeless symbol of the simple gestures that the DoubleTree by Hilton stay experience is known for.”
The cookie has been part of DoubleTrees signature check‑in experience since 1986 and boasts an unexpected place in history. In 2019, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) baked the brands cookies in space — the first‑ever food baked beyond Earth.
It took several attempts to adapt the recipe to microgravity conditions: the first cookie baked for 25 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit was still underbaked. The second cookie started filling the space station with the familiar aroma after baking at 300 degrees for 75 minutes.
Astronauts declared the fourth and fifth cookies — respectively baked for 120 minutes at 300 degrees then cooled for 25 minutes, and baked for 130 minutes at 325 degrees then cooled for 10 minutes — to be the best. Contrary to speculation, the cookies did not bake into a spherical shape due to the microgravity, they looked much as they do on Earth. One of these space‑baked cookies is now displayed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
But the innovation didn’t stop there. In 2023, an allergy-friendly version of the cookie was introduced to include even more guests in the tradition. The soft-baked allergy-friendly cookie is gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, and free of the top nine allergens (wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, eggs, soy, fish, sesame, and shellfish).
Later this year, DoubleTree by Hilton is set to open an original restaurant and bar concept, piebird, where the menu will feature a “Cookie-tini” cookie martini, inspired by the signature DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie.
According to Hilton, guests enjoy more than 20 million DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies each year.
