NOTE: I created this recipe in 2014 after trying the welcome bars at the Hilton Garden Inn. The cookies they are currently serving are different, so if you want to recreate the current recipe, this is not it.
I participated in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! I was somewhat hesitant to do so this year since I’ve been traveling so much, but I’m so glad I did. It gave me a chance to share some of my favorite cookies with people, and I got to taste cookies from some amazing bloggers. It also gives me a chance to share a story that I was too embarrassed to share earlier, but now that I’m posting this recipe, I can’t hide my crazy anymore.
A few months before my wedding, I went to check out some hotels near my parents’ house in Indiana that our guests would be staying in. After a trip to the Hilton Garden Inn, the manager offered us some of their cookies, warm and fresh our of the oven. I’m not often impressed by hotel cookies, but these were good. Really good. Essentially, they’re oatmeal cookies with cranberries, blueberries, and white chocolate chips. And apparently crack, because they’re totally addictive (don’t worry people who received my cookies, I left that ingredient out).
When I got back home to Dallas, instead of focusing on my upcoming wedding, I became obsessed with recreating these cookies. I even went to a few local Hilton Garden Inn’s so I could get some cookies to aid in the recreation process. They all refused to sell me any and looked at me like I was crazy.
I did, however, manage to get my hands on a list of ingredients, and I found out that the original recipe uses no butter or eggs. However, I like the flavor of butter in my cookies, so I used a half butter half shortening combo, but feel free to use all shortening to make them more authentic. I didn’t like any of the eggless varieties of these cookies that I tested, so I added an egg to mine. I also made these cookies mini, because when it comes to snacks, I’m a fan of quantity. If you decide to make larger cookies, you’ll need to adjust the baking time.
To keep these cookies from spreading, shape them into squares and freeze them for at least one hour before baking. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper, freeze it, and then cut it into squares. If you don’t care if they look exactly like the original Hilton Garden Inn Cookies, there’s no need to shape the cookies in advance. You can just chill the dough in the fridge for an hour before baking.
Update: I was confused by some of the comments that said there was lemon in this cookie, as I did not taste any at all. A commenter recently mentioned that her dad was a food and beverage manager at a Hilton Garden Inn, and that the recipe has changed. When I posted this recipe back in 2014, HGI got their “reception bars” from a company called Sysco. Now they make them in house, which may account for some of the flavor differences from the cookies I tasted originally to the cookies that are available now. However, based on the comments I tried a batch with a couple of teaspoons of lemon zest added and I liked the flavor so much that I make it that way all the time now!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 dried blueberries (or blueberry craisins)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup plus all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
- For topping:
- Rolled Oats
- Sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Place the dried cranberries, blueberries, and white chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse a few times until you get smaller bits. (This step is optional, but leads to a more authentic cookie).
- With an electric mixer (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream together the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes. Don't over mix, as this can cause the cookies to spread.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for an additional 30 seconds until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and beat on low until just combined.
- Stir in the quick oats and the cranberry/blueberry white chocolate mixture.
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the dough and shape them into squares with your hands. Place the shaped cookies onto the cookie sheets and top with rolled oats and sparkling sugar.
- Place the cookie sheets in the freezer for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, until the edges start to lightly brown.
- Cool completely on wire racks.
Cookie recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Your story is too cute, Natasha. I can totally understand that. The weeks before my wedding I was baking all the time to try the best recipes for the big day. My freezer was loaded with cupcakes and other treats.
Thank you so much for your diligence in mastering this recipe! I, too, stayed at a Hilton this past weekend and asked the front desk for the recipe. Although, not getting the recipe, she did email the information of who makes/suppies them. Next to my grandma’s, these are the best!
Becky can you please give the contact info/email thanks?
Marion
haha I love this story – it’s something I would do so I fully support your behavior 🙂
And these cookies look awesome! I’ve actually never had them before … guess I’ll just have to make them at home!
I am trying this recipe right now. I travel a lot for work and my company uses the Hilton hotels when booking. I always, always, ask for the Garden Inns just so I can get these cookies. I share in your obsession as I usually grab 4-5 of them just so I can take them home to enjoy (hooking my family as well, when I decide to share, of course ;)! I’ve tried other recipes and have come close, but I am so excited to try this one! Thanks for your diligence in obtaining the exact ingredient list! !
I’ve been looking for a recipe for these Hilton Garden Inn-type cookies for 2 years, ever since we had some at a Hilton Garden Inn in Omaha when we were there. Your photo looks pretty much like them. Here’s a link from Kiss My Broccoli blog with a photo of one of these cookies from that hotel:
http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/09/02/week-in-review-the-vacation-edition/
Thanks for your efforts in recreating these — I’ll be trying the recipe soon!
I am literally in my room at The Hilton Garden Inn after night 2,of heavenly dessert cookies, searching the Internet for a recipe! My husband and I each took one, politely, last evening. Tonight, he surprised me with FIVE! I had two! Totally crack cookies! I cannot wait to return home and try your recipe! Thank you for your hard work for the benefit of all us web recipe browsers!!!
Hi – thanks so much for this recipe. Like the rest of you … I stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn and decided to try one of these not so attractive cookies. I didn’t expect much, but, yes, it was literally crack. I made your recipe and it is spot on. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Yay! I’m glad it turned out well for you. It’s so nice to be able to have the cookies without having to pay for a hotel stay 🙂
We had the cookies at the Hilton Garden Hotel while in Cleveland for a wedding. Love at first bite. My sister made the cookies according to the recipe. They were good but not the same as the hotel. There is a spice that is missing. Can you identify that spice? Is it cinnamon, ginger, mace, etc? What is it?
I have a list of ingredients and none of those things are in there, but I bet it would taste really good with a dash of cinnamon.
I had the cookies from the Hilton 2 weeks ago and thought it tasted like almond extract might be in the recipe.
They are in the oven now. It only made a little over a dozen and a half so I may try to double the batter next time. The batter is delicious.
Later…mmmm, excellent, my husband said. I’m hoping this recipe will double as I plan to do that.
I made mini cookies just because of my lack of self control, but you can definitely double this recipe. If you make larger cookies, you may need to increase the baking time. Hope you enjoyed them!
Just stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday Oct 8th, my husband and I each took 3 cookies the next morning and I just finished the last one this morning and now I am searching for the recipe. Came across your recipe the first try! Excited to try it out! Thank you for posting it!!!
We were there in August for our 40 th wedding anniversary. We just mixed up your recipe and it’s in the freezer now. Can’t wait to put them in the oven and bake them. Yummmmm.
Just finishing one of the Hilton Garden Inn cookies that a coworker so kindly snagged for me when he was there and I would swear there is a hint of lemon in those cookies. Excited to try this recipe, might add a little lemon zest. Thanks for posting!
I felt like I tasted lemon too.
No offense but these do not taste like the original. Something tells me they buy them, what do you think? When you say you got a list of ingredients, how did you get that and not the recipe? I am on a mission to duplicate these since I am so addicted to these.
They buy them frozen and bake them at the hotel.
HI Natasha, that is what I thought. I remember seeing a comment on pinterest that they get them from Sysco, so now my mission is to get my hands on some of these yummy cookie bars.
I’m eating the cookies now and taste lemon. I have no cranberries in mine. I have blueberries and white chocolate chips.
Yes! So glad I found this!
This is our 2nd night at the Hilton Garden Inn and I can’t stop thinking about these cookies! We have to check out tomorrow and I went in search of a recipe close to them. I can’t imagine not having these until next month when we come back!
We were just at the Hilton this weekend and I asked the cook where these cookies came from. They get them frozen from The Christie Cookie Company out of Nashville Tennessee. They do have a website.
Just came back from the Hilton Garden Inn in Jacksonville and think I also detected a bit of lemon in theirs… so addictive… Brought some home to Canada
I made this recipe last week! Declicious! Awesome! Family and friends gobbled them up. I added a half teaspoon lemon extract to batter, as well. People said they had a lovely flavor. I have a double batch of batter in the refrigerator right now to make some more. Thank you for posting this!
Yep, just tried this recipe and unfortunately it is nothing like the Hilton Garden ‘s cookie. The cookie definitely has a citrus undertone, as well as a mystery spice and there appears to be both oatmeal and possibly pumpkin seed on top. The HG cookie recipe mystery continues….
Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe, those cookies are a gift from up above!
I just made these cookies. I had them at the Hilton Inn in Nashville T lobby. I loved them then and we love them now. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Delighted I found t love from my family in Wisconsin
So my dad is the food and beverage manager at a Hilton garden inn. I also am obsessed with these cookies and though I am on an eternal diet and have great will power, these are a weakness of mine. I asked my dad about the cookies. He said they used to buy them but it was more cost effective to have chef make them. This may account for the variation in detected flavors. I know he bought most of his products from Sysco so I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s who made the original “reception bar” as Hilton calls them. I will ask him the recipe he uses but the one you have here sounds pretty much like what I remember tasting. I don’t remember tasting spice or lemon but the lemon zest will be a great addition
Thanks for your comment! It’s been a few years since I’ve had an original Hilton Garden Inn Cookie, and I’m guessing based on the comments that the recipe has changed. I will make a note about this in the post.
C.L., did you find out the recipe from your dad? I just followed the recipe and made these cookies, while they are very delicious, they do not taste like the ones at the hotel.
Made the cookies and they are delicious. Thank you, thank you! I was staying at the Garden Inn in Rockville, Maryland when I had my first cookie and immediately started looking for the recipe on line. This recipe is so close to the one I had. I tasted lemon in their cookies. This has become my favorite cookie recipe!
Would you please try to dublicate the oatmeal raisin cookies from Costco? I use a recipe from the oatmeal container but it is not as good as Costcos oatmeal cookies. Thanks again!??
We were at the Hilton Garden Inn in Jonesboro Arkansas over the weekend. My husband & I LOVE these cookies. I was able to convince the chef to make me a dozen before we left, I paid $15.00 for the dozen right out of the oven.. SOOOO yummy.
Around October they changed their welcome cookies to a craberry apple oatmeal. Does anyone have that recipe??
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