My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie...for Now

I'm on an apparently never ending quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I'm pretty picky about them... I can't stand crunchy chocolate chip cookies (CCC), I want them to be chewy, but not soft. Soft is more a sugar cookie thing for me. They also have to have just the right amount of chocolate. I hate not getting a little bit of chocolate in every bite, but I don't want it to be only chocolate either. And I never, ever like nuts in my CCCs. Ever.

Over the years, I've tried several different recipes from basic Tollhouse to some that were a little more gourmet, and they've all just been ... meh. There are a few things that define a CCC and that all of the recipes have in common. They all have brown sugar, use baking soda (not powder...don't ever make that mistake, trust me), and have butter (although some have called for shortening, I think that's sacrilege). Of course, the remaining ingredients are always the same too, but they vary far more. One thing I've definitely discovered is that I prefer a CCC with more brown sugar than white sugar, rather than equal amounts. I also prefer slightly more vanilla than most recipes have in them.

The best recipe that I have found, so far, is from one of my favorite cookbooks ever, Baking Illustrated. It's easy, fast, a little chewy, and has a great CCC flavor. This is the best CCC I've made at home, so far. So good, in fact, that I haven;t bothered trying a new one in about a year and a half! I'm very excited to try Alton Brown's chewy CCC really soon, though (I'll keep you posted on the results)! But for now, here is my current favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Give it a try because I think you'll like it!

To make these, you need melted unsalted butter, one whole egg and one egg yolk, vanilla, salt, baking soda, sugar, brown sugar, flour, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix well. Stir in the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Sprinkle about half of the flour mixture on top and mix until just combined. Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Yum. I don't know how people resist this stuff.

I can't. I've never been able to. Probably never will.

Using a small (1 tablespoon) scoop, or a regular tablespoon, scoop out two slightly heaping tablespoonfuls of batter. 

Gently squish the two pieces together and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat baking mat, leaving three to four inches between the cookies (I only put six cookies at a time on each sheet). Bake the cookies at 325 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until dark golden brown at the edges and lighter brown in the center.

Putting the two scoops together like this makes big (about four to five inches across), chewy cookies. You could certainly make smaller cookies, but be sure to adjust the baking time.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about two minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least another 10 to 15 minuted before serving.

I really love these cookies! They have the perfect, slightly chewy texture, a darker, more vanilla-y flavor, and just the right amount of chocolate in each bite! They're delicious straight out of the oven, but just as good several days later (I like to nuke mine for a couple of seconds to get the chocolate all melty again)! Warm and melty or cooled and chewy, you're really gonna like these! Enjoy!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 18 cookies


Ingredients


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter,
      melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mats.


In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.


In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix well. Stir in the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Sprinkle about half of the flour mixture on top and mix until just combined. Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.


Using a small (1 tablespoon) scoop, or a regular tablespoon, scoop out 2 slightly heaping tablespoonfuls of batter. Put the 2 scoops together and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 3 to 4 inches between each cookie.


Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until dark golden brown at the edges and lighter brown int he center. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

adapted from Baking Illustrated