Toll House cookies get their namesake from the Toll House Inn, where Ruth Wakefield first invented one of the world’s most famous cookies.

After running out of nuts for her cookies, Wakefield substituted them with chocolate pieces hoping they would melt. When she finished, the chips were still solid, but much softer. The new creation was a huge hit among the guests. 

Wakefield’s recipe became so popular that it was published in several newspapers. Later, she struck an agreement with Andrew Nestlé to print her recipe on the packaging of his semi-sweet chocolate. In return, Nestlé provided her with an endless supply of chocolate she could use for the rest of her life.

In 1939, Nestlé introduced the Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. Wakefield passed away in 1977, but the company still prints her recipe on the back of each bag. The Toll House Inn burned down in 1984. A sign and plaque mark the site where the inn once stood on Route 18.