Simple Recipes

This chocolate chip cookies recipe is the culmination of much experimentation for the absolute best in chocolate chip goodness. The trick is to cream the butter and sugar together, but to not overbeat the dough. Another element that helps to create such a tasty cookie is to chill the dough before baking. Check out the extra tips at the end of the recipe for more insider instructions.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Instructions

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, cream together the white sugar, light brown sugar, and butter until completely incorporated.

3. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix together. Do not overbeat.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients from the medium sized bowl. It is important that you don’t overbeat at this point, either.

5. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour – overnight is preferable.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using either parchment paper or slip pads, drop the dough by rounded teaspoons (or using a small ice cream scoop) about 2 inches apart.

7. Bake for 10-13 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. The centers should look “undone”.

8. Remove cookies from the oven and let them set for about 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool an additional 15 minutes.

The end result is a crispy, yet chewy cookie good enough for the most discerning chocolate chip cookie connoisseur (for more recipes check the link). Once you try this simple but outstanding chocolate chip cookies recipe, you will forget there was ever a different way of baking. Here are some extra tips that might help you in your quest for the best cookie ever:

1. The cookie dough can be rolled into a log, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated. Just cut the appropriate thickness from the log and bake as instructed above.

2. Use a combination of chocolate, from milk chocolate mini-bits to big chunks of decadent bittersweet goodness.

3. Do not use “fake” vanilla extract. Get the real stuff.

4. By the same token, don’t use “fake” butter, either. However, “nut” butters, such as almond or cashew, can be substituted for vegan chocolate chip cookie aficionados.

5. This recipe can also use oatmeal, nuts, or raisins, according to tastes. Decrease the amount of sugar or use a baking sugar substitute to accommodate a diabetic cookie fan.

6. For an outstanding dessert, increase the size of the cookies and use two of them to sandwich your favorite flavor of ice cream.