Krista's Chocolate Chip Cookies #2



When my godson bravely ventured to his first days in college, I sent some dormitory currency with him -- the sure way to meet people and make friends in a dorm -- Chocolate Chip Cookies!  They're also an excellent choice to bring along for parents' weekend, which will be coming up pretty soon.


I have learned a few things in my quest for the best chocolate chip cookies.  Alton Brown says that the darker the sugar, the chewier the end result.  Interesting!  He also reminded me that melted butter makes for a chewier cookie.  So true.  That's why my recipe for Blondies is the real deal that we remember from the 1970's. I wasn't totally convinced that bread flour with extra gluten was the way to go, though.


Bobby Flay threw me for a loop with his Kosher salt -- but it works!  There's definitely a subtle difference.


The most important ingredient, though, is the chocolate.  Personally, I just don't think Callebaut can be beat.  However, a conversation with a couple of my friends revealed a crucial factor that cannot be dismissed -- familiarity of flavor and consistency.  Once again, the it-doesn't-taste-like-the-ones-Mom-made curse raises its ugly head.  Whatever you grew up with is very likely to influence your expectations, especially where the chocolate is concerned, but also in the chewy versus crispy debate.


My friends think the original Tollhouse recipe cannot be beat.  I think that might be true for a lot of people.  There's a reason that Tollhouse cookies are so popular.  They're really good and that recipe is probably made and eaten every day by dozens of people. It's what we expect in a chocolate chip cookie.


Is this the end of my quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie?  Probably not, but I'm pretty happy with this recipe!  It's incredibly easy and it makes a delicious chewy cookie.  Leftover raw dough can be wrapped in waxed paper in a roll and pieces can be cut off to bake as needed.  I have also baked them and then frozen them.  They tend to crumble a bit after they thaw the room temperature, but they're still very good.



Krista's Chocolate Chip Cookies


2 sticks butter (melted)

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips



Preheat oven to 350.


Melt the butter in the microwave at half power in short bursts.


Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.


Beat the egg and egg yolk with the sugars. Add the cooled melted butter, alternating with the flour mixture.  Add the vanilla.  Stir in the chocolate chips.


I prefer to use parchment paper, but a lightly greased baking sheet works just as well.  Drop the raw dough on the sheet in generous spoonfuls a couple of inches apart.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Remove to a cooling rack when done.


If you don't want to bake them all right away, roll the remaining dough in waxed paper and slide into a freezer bag.  When ready to bake, slice in inch thick rounds and cut each round in half.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.



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