Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, I know what you’re thinking… Really, Brooke?  Doesn’t everyone already have their ‘perfect’ recipe for chocolate chip cookies? 

Well, maybe so but there might be someone out there looking for just such a recipe and I just may have it for them… right here! 

We’ve all tried dozens of different variations of chocolate chip cookies, right?  I know I have!  It seems that everyone has their own recipe that they just absolutely love and go back to time and time again.  THIS is that recipe for me.  And chocolate chip cookies are a very personal thing.  Some like them chewy, some crispy, some fat and some flat!  This one is just the right combination of an ever-so-slight crunch on the outside {especially around the edges} and a perfectly chewy middle.  YUM!  And besides, the dough itself is worthy of an award! 

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried a whole lot of delicious chocolate chip cookies but many of them contain shortening.  Nothing wrong with that at all but around these here parts, we’re trying to stay away from hydrogenated oils and such.  And since this recipe calls for butter {or margarine, but really… please stick with butter}, it’s a recipe I love having around.

It’s a recipe I got years ago from a friend who had adapted it just slightly from a chocolate chip bag {I don’t recall the brand} and the rest is history!  Since then, I have found that there are a couple of tricks to getting this to be the perfect cookie.  So, let’s get started!

 

Start out by beating the butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed. {super soft butter… as in out of the refrigerator for 24 hours}

Next, add the brown sugar and beat for about a minute.

 

Now add the white sugar and beat for another whole minute, or longer. 

 

Notice the beautiful color… don’t you just want to paint a wall that color? 

 

Add the vanilla and mix well.

 

Add the egg and mix until incorporated.  {this is the point that you don’t want to overmix.}

 

In a separate bowl, you’ll need to combine the flour, salt and baking soda.

Then you’ll add it, a little at a time, to the wet mixture.  Mix each ‘little bit’ on low speed.  {Unless you like wearing flour! }

 

Once it’s all incorporated, you’ll have a ball of dough that looks similar to this {after scraping the sides, of course}.

 

Stir in chocolate chips!  {I prefer semi-sweet}

 

Roll into golf ball sized balls, placing them on a cookie sheet lightly coated in non-stick spray.

 

Mash them down about halfway.  {Trust me on this, if you don’t do it they will end up looking like half spheres… we’re going for perfection here!}

 

And once you’ve rolled 2 dozen cookies, you have just enough dough left over for yourself.  C’mon, you know you want it!

 

Place in a 375* oven for 9-12 minutes {11 is usually perfect for my oven}

And they’ll come out looking like this… except that they’re still on the cookie sheet, not the cooling rack.  Remove from the cooling rack about 2 or 3 minutes after removing from oven. 

 

Not too dark, not too light… PERFECT!

 

Do you like milk with your cookies?

 

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. butter (or margarine if you must) – ** very soft butter!! 

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 c. chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 375*

Cream butter for 2 or 3 minutes on medium speed.  Add brown sugar and beat again for another minute or so.  Then add white sugar, beat again.  Add vanilla and egg, mix until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Pour a little bit at a time into the wet mixture(about 3 parts), mixing on low speed between each addition until fully incorporated. 

Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll into golf ball sized balls and place on lightly sprayed cookie sheet.  Smash each ball halfway (this is important unless you want half-spheres!)

Bake for 9-12 minutes (ovens may vary)…