Can I Make Christmas Cookies With These WEIRD Measuring Tools?

Today I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of just testing a gadget in isolation, I decided to see if I could make my favorite Christmas cookies using a very unusual set of measuring cups and spoons called the OTOTO Shelly Measuring Cups & Spoons, a snail-shaped set that combines cups and spoons in a single design. So let’s dive into my review, and below you can find the recipe for the cookies featured in this review.

Where to Purchase

You can find the OTOTO Shelly Measuring Cups & Spoons on Amazon at this link.

OTOTO Measuring Cups & Spoons

I paid $14.95 for the set and at the time I filmed the video it had a rating of 4.6 stars with around 2,400 reviews. A lot of people online described Shelly as “cute” and also said the set was functional. Others were not as impressed and mentioned problems like the cups not standing up well and the markings being hard to read. I wanted to see for myself how they perform in a real kitchen test.

Design and First Impressions

Each piece in the set is shaped like a snail, with a measuring cup on one side and a measuring spoon on the other. The pieces nest together nicely and lay flat. There is a small notch that lets them stack in a tidy little bundle, which looks great if you want to display them on a counter or hook. OTOTO and the listing describe this as a space-saving design and the set is dishwasher safe. Amazon also notes that customers usually keep the item once they buy it, which suggests that most people are happy enough with the purchase to hang on to it.

While the nesting design looks nice, I noticed one issue right away. If I want to pour something into a cup and set it on the counter, a traditional measuring cup sits flat and stable. With these, the way they rest on the counter is not ideal for that kind of use. They tend to sit at an angle, and that is not optimal when I want to use both hands to pour into the cup. It is not a dealbreaker, but it is a clear limitation compared to standard measuring cups.

Measurement Markings

One of the biggest complaints I saw in reviews was that the measurements were not clearly marked. The markings are there, but they are molded into the plastic on the inside bottom of each cup and spoon. In practice, that means they are quite hard to read.

The larger markings, like the one-cup size, are at least somewhat visible. Once I get into the smaller sizes, things get difficult. For example, the tablespoon marking is technically there, but I really had to stare at it to see what it said, even with reading glasses. When I went down to the quarter cup and quarter teaspoon, I could not realistically read those markings at all while using the set.

For this test I ended up referring to the box, which has a diagram showing which snail corresponds to which measurement. Over time I might memorize which piece is which, but out of the box I found myself relying on the packaging instead of the markings on the cups. If you have perfect vision or very bright light you might have an easier time, but for me those markings are not user friendly.

Accuracy Test

Before I trusted this set with my favorite cookie recipe, I wanted to do a quick accuracy check. I pulled out a scale and compared Shelly to a standard measuring cup and spoon.

First I tested one cup of sugar in a regular measuring cup, leveled off. That came out to about 7.25 ounces. Then I filled the OTOTO one cup with sugar and weighed that. It came in at 7.65 ounces. That is roughly a five percent difference, which I consider acceptable for home baking. Flour and sugar can vary that much just by how you scoop and level them.

Next I tested a tablespoon of sugar. My control tablespoon, leveled off, weighed 0.5 ounces. The OTOTO tablespoon, leveled the same way, also weighed in at 0.5 ounces. So in that basic test the spoon was essentially right on track.

Based on that quick comparison, I felt comfortable moving forward. The measurements are not laboratory perfect, but for everyday baking they seemed accurate.

Using Shelly for My Favorite Cookie Recipe

For my real-world test I used a treasured family recipe that my grandma used to make for me when I was a kid and even when I was older. I have had these cookies countless times and I know exactly how they are supposed to look and taste, so it is a very good test of whether the measurements are accurate or not.

The original recipe calls for mint chocolate chips that I cannot get anymore, so I updated it by using regular semi-sweet chocolate chips and a bit of peppermint extract instead. Otherwise I stayed true to the original. Since the full recipe is included below this review, I will skip the detailed step by step here and focus on how the measuring cups and spoons performed.

The recipe uses a mix of cups and spoons, so I was able to test most of the pieces. For flour, I used the cup side, scooped from my container, and leveled it with a knife. That part worked fine, although the handle is essentially a measuring spoon, which makes it feel a little small compared to a traditional measuring cup handle. It works, but it does not feel as secure in the hand.

When I started measuring the baking powder, salt, vanilla, and peppermint, the spoon ends came into play. They fit into my containers reasonably well, although I did have to double check the box more than once to make sure I was using the correct size. The spoons themselves did what they were supposed to do, they scooped and leveled without any problems, but the markings being hard to read never stopped being an annoyance.

Through the rest of the mixing process, Shelly handled sugar, flour, and chocolate chips without any big surprises. I never felt like the measurements were wildly off, and the dough came together exactly as I would expect when I make these cookies with my usual measuring tools.

Cookie Results

After chilling the dough and rolling it in powdered sugar, I baked the cookies in batches. Visually, the results were excellent. The cookies cracked on top, held their shape, and looked exactly like the cookies I remember from my childhood. They did not spread too much or bake up strangely, which would have been a red flag for poor measurements.

Of course I did not make them just to look at them. I randomly chose one from the stack and did the taste test. The flavor was perfect. The texture was exactly what it was supposed to be. Even with the change from mint chocolate chips to peppermint extract, the overall cookie turned out just right.

If the measurements in this set were far off, I would have noticed it immediately in this recipe. Instead, the cookies came out exactly how I wanted them to. That told me that in terms of basic accuracy, Shelly did its job.

Final Thoughts on OTOTO Shelly

So how do I feel about the OTOTO Shelly Measuring Cups & Spoons after putting them through this baking test?

On the positive side, they are cute and they do seem to measure accurately enough for home baking. The nested snail design is fun to look at, they stack nicely, and the set survived a run through the dishwasher with no issues at all. They came out looking just as good as when they went in, so I am comfortable saying they are genuinely dishwasher safe.

On the downside, I do not love the way they sit on the counter. They are not as stable as a traditional measuring cup when I want to set one down and pour into it with both hands. The handles feel small, since they are really just the spoon end of the piece. They work, but they are not as comfortable to hold as a standard cup with a dedicated handle. There are also a few common measurements missing, such as 1/3 cup or 1/2 tablespoon.

The biggest functional negative for me is still the hard to read markings. Having the measurements molded into the inside bottom of each cup and spoon might look clean from a design standpoint, but it does not help much when I am actually trying to cook. Even with reading glasses, I had trouble making out the smaller sizes and often ended up referring back to the diagram on the box instead.

In the end, I would say that Shelly is a good fit for someone who likes cute, themed kitchen tools and does not mind a few quirks. If you want a fun display piece that still works reasonably well when you bake, this set could make you happy. If you are looking for the most precise, ergonomic, and practical measuring cups and spoons you can buy, these probably are not the perfect choice.

The important thing for me is that my beloved cookies came out perfectly, and these snail-shaped measuring cups and spoons held their own in a real-world test. They are not perfect, but they did work. If you end up making these cookies yourself, or if you want me to test other products in this kind of baking scenario, feel free to let me know.

You can find the full cookie recipe and step by step instructions in the section below.

Grandma’s Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies (Mint Chocolate Crinkle Style)

This is an updated version of my favorite Christmas cookie recipe that originally called for Nestle Toll House mint flavored semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Since those are hard to find now, this version uses regular semi-sweet chocolate chips plus peppermint extract for that mint chocolate flavor. If you can find mint chocolate chips, I suggest using those and skipping the peppermint extract.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (about 9 oz total)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons softened butter (not melted)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large eggs
• Powdered sugar, for rolling

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Instructions

1. Prep the pans and oven.
   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix the dry ingredients.
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
   Set this bowl aside.
3. Cream the sugar and butter in the main bowl.
   In a large mixing bowl (this will be the main bowl for the dough), add the granulated sugar and softened butter.
   Beat them together with a hand mixer until the mixture is light, smooth, and creamy. This may take a couple of minutes if the butter started out a little cool.
4. Add the extracts.
   Add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract to the main bowl and mix until combined.
5. Melt part of the chocolate chips.
   Measure out 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 6 oz) and place them in a microwave-safe bowl.
   Microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir. Continue microwaving in short 10 to 20 second bursts, stirring after each, until the chocolate is smooth. Let it cool slightly so it is warm but not hot.
6. Add the melted chocolate to the main bowl.
   Pour the melted chocolate into the creamed butter and sugar mixture and beat until fully combined.
7. Add the eggs.
   Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
8. Add the dry ingredients.
   Gradually add the flour mixture from the dry bowl into the main bowl.
   Stir by hand or mix on low speed just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
   Do not overmix at this stage.
9. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.
   Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (about 3 oz) to the dough and stir until evenly distributed.
10. Chill the dough.
    Cover the main bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until the dough is firm enough to roll into balls without sticking badly to your hands.
11. Set up the powdered sugar station.
    Pour a generous amount of powdered sugar into a small-to-medium bowl. This will be used to coat the dough balls.
12. Shape and coat the cookies.
    Scoop out portions of the chilled dough and roll them into balls about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter.
    Roll each ball in the bowl of powdered sugar until it is fully coated, then place it on the parchment lined baking sheet.
    Leave a couple of inches of space between cookies.
13. Bake.
    Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
    The cookies should be set around the edges and still look slightly soft in the center.
    They will firm up as they cool.
14. Cool.
    Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• If you prefer a stronger mint flavor, you can increase the peppermint extract slightly, but it is easy to overdo, so add with caution.
• Make sure the butter is softened and not melted before you start. If the butter is too cold, the sugar and butter mixture will look crumbly for a while, but it will cream together once the butter softens more.
• Parchment paper makes cleanup easier and helps prevent the cookies from sticking, especially with the melted powdered sugar on the bottoms.