Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies should be the basis for anyone’s foray into baking. They are simple to make, an all-time favorite, and extremely versatile. Portioned on the smaller side, these cookies can make for a satisfying end to a dinner party or a welcome thank-you gift. The spectrum of chocolate chip cookies is wide, with personal favorites ranging from thin and crispy to soft and chewy. This particular recipe results in a cookie on the softer, more cakey side. It is important to chill the dough thoroughly, for at least one hour, before scooping and baking these cookies. If the dough is too soft when it goes into the oven, the cookie will spread and be very thin.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 2
Beat the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at high speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Step 3
Add the brown and granulated sugars, crumbling the brown sugar with your hands as you add it to get rid of any lumps. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through mixing to ensure that the butter and sugar are well mixed.
Step 4
Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that the ingredients are incorporated.
Step 5
Add approximately half the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining flour and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the flour is fully incorporated.
Step 6
Stir in the chocolate chips and mix just until combined, about 10 seconds. Remove the dough from the bowl, press it into a flat mound, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
Step 7
While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 8
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and scoop or roll it into balls about 1 tablespoon in size. At this point, the cookie dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month (separate layers of dough balls with waxed paper).
Step 9
Place the balls of dough about 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans once halfway through, until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool to room temperature (or serve warm).
Step 10
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Polish your look
Step 11
Traditional chocolate chip cookies incorporate semisweet chocolate chips, but if you prefer milk chocolate, feel free to substitute. If you like nuts in your chocolate chip cookies, add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts.
