I feel like this blog has been missing something, like the most obvious recipe that any self-respecting food blog should own: that of chocolate chip cookie. I am going to remedy this today and if you are still on track being as healthy as you ought to with your eating, save this for your treat day. (Make them the day before so they have time to rest in the fridge for 24 hours, so that treat day is not wasted on a sub-par cookie.)
You should know some things about me: I keep a bag of chocolate chips in the pantry for emotional emergencies, I eat at least one chocolate chip everyday of my life, I came from a home where cookie dough in the freezer was considered a staple and I swear that the chocolate chip cookie is the best thing to ever be invented in the kitchen.
Because of this, I took the finding of my chocolate chip cookie recipe seriously. I was heavily influenced by the New York Times cookie recipe, but it was a bit too much work for someone like me and while the recipe makes a darn good cookie, I couldn’t hack breaking out two cans of flour when I craved caramelized cookie and a glass of cold milk. But, the suggestions for prepping the cookie have all helped me in my baking endeavors. The creaming of the butters, the waiting 24 hours to cook the cookie, make all the cookies I make taste better.
After experimenting with different recipes, here are my top five tips for making a successful chocolate chip cookie:
1 – Use unsalted butter and make sure it is at room temperature. Science behind this here. Use butter, not shortening, not margarine.
2- Salt and chocolate are a heavenly pair. Use all the salt mentioned in the recipe and don’t be afraid to sprinkle just a bit of salt on top of your cookie before you bake it.
3 – When adding your eggs, add them one at a time and mix between additions. I don’t know why this works, but I swear it makes a difference in cookie and brownie making.
4- Your chocolate should always be semi-sweet. I never trust or try a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that calls for milk chocolate. I know immediately that we are from different cookie baking camps. I’ll trust them for other things, but not for chocolate chip cookie recipes. I only use Ghirrardeli or Guittard chocolate chips.
5- This is the most important. You have to keep that dough in the fridge for 24 hours. Lots of people have tested and proven this online after the NY Times did the cookie story. I promise it makes a magical thing happen and the cookie caramelizes better in milk, the outside is crips and innards all nice and soft. Plus, I swear, and this is not scientific, that it helps even out your cookie from small mishaps. Too little or not enough flour seems to matter much less after the 24 hour chilling period.
I always make a double cookie recipe because I keep the extras in the fridge or give the cookies to neighbors. So, that’s how I will present the recipe here. Half it if you don’t want leftovers.
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (If you want to make these gluten-free, use Mama’s almond flour in place of the all purpose and 1 teaspoon of xantham gum)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 12 ounce bags)
In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low for one minute. Add the two sugars and beat until creamed, about 3 minutes more. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time until just blended after each addition. Add the vanilla and blend until combined. Pour the half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and blend on low until the flour is incorporated. Pour the remaining flour mixture into the dough and blend on low until the flour is fully incorporated.
Add the chocolate chips and mix on low until the chips are evenly distributed. Place the dough in a plastic container with a lid or in a large Zip-Lock bag. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
After the dough has rested, preheat the oven to 350º. Place a piece of parchment paper and cover a baking sheet. Take a spoon or ice cream scoop and portion tablespoon or so size mounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with a touch of salt. Bake the cookies, rotating half-way through the cooking time. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the top of the cookie is golden with small hints of golden-brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for two minutes. Eat immediately or let the cool completely if you are saving them for a future use.
I like keeping the dough in the freezer so that the cookies are always fresh and warm when I want to eat them.
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4½ cups unbleached all purpose flour (If you want to make these gluten-free, use Mama's almond flour in place of the all purpose and 1 teaspoon of xantham gum)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 12 ounce bags)
- In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low for one minute. Add the two sugars and beat until creamed, about 3 minutes more. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time until just blended after each addition. Add the vanilla and blend until combined. Pour the half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and blend on low until the flour is incorporated. Pour the remaining flour mixture into the dough and blend on low until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix on low until the chips are evenly distributed. Place the dough in a plastic container with a lid or in a large Zip-Lock bag. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
- After the dough has rested, preheat the oven to 350º. Place a piece of parchment paper and cover a baking sheet. Take a spoon or ice cream scoop and portion tablespoon or so size mounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with a touch of salt. Bake the cookies, rotating half-way through the cooking time. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for two minutes. Eat immediately or let the cool completely if you are saving them for a future time.
- I like keeping the dough in the freezer so that the cookies are always fresh and warm when I want to eat them.