Chocolate Chip Cookies

After I posted those Cookie Dough Truffles last week, I had the itch to make chocolate chip cookies like you wouldn't believe.  I honestly get cravings to bake things.  I don't really care if I get to eat them (though it is a lovely perk), but I literally couldn't think of anything else but making chocolate chip cookies. 

I told people this and they looked at me like I was crazy.  Who cares- I now have cookies and they don't.  OK- that's a total I lie. Because I'm nice and I share.  When I make cookies, everyone gets cookies.  It's just how I roll.

Trust me, I LOVE the chocolate chip cookie recipe that I grew up making.  But it isn't the PERFECT cookie in my mind.  It's a little too soft and too almost bread-like.  What I'm looking for is something with a little bit of crunch and a lot of chewyness.  Stands up great against a good dunking in milk.  Loaded full of chips but with a hint of salt in every bite.

These cookies hit almost every note.  They are damn near perfect.

Texture? Awesome.
Milk Test? Passed with flying colors.
Chocolate Chip-y? Perfection.
Balance with a hint of Salt? Oh so close....

These cookies called for sea salt which I found a little strange, but the original poster swore by it so I went along.  I'm totally on the sea salt in cookies band wagon now.  Except I wanted just a little more.  When you got that crunch of salt, the cookie was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD.  But then there were bites where it was missing and it made me sad. 

Though in fairness, I also used milk chocolate chips verses semi sweet.  So the salt may have been over-powered by the sweetness of my chip selection.  Ya live and ya learn.  Guess that means I just have to make more test cookies. What a shame......


What makes your perfect chocolate chips cookie?

Adapted from this recipe


What You'll Need:

• 2 sticks unsalted Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 3/4 cups (12 oz) AP Flour (weigh if possible!)
• 3/4 tsp Sea Salt (I used course, the recipe called for "smallish-medium course", whatever that means)
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 1/4 cups Milk Chocolate Chips (will need 2 bags)

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 360F.  Cream together butter and sugars until good and fluffy (about 3 minutes. Yes 3 whole minutes. You'll thank me later).  Add in eggs and vanilla and mix for another 2 minutes.  Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and mix until incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Drop by rounded spoonful onto sheet (about 2 Tbsp worth of dough. I used a medium cookie scoop).  Bake for 12-14 minutes, until edges are golden brown.  Remove from oven but let rest on the cookie sheet for about 3 minutes.  Then transfer cookies still on the parchment to a flat surface (I used my cutting board).  Allow to cool for another 3-5 minutes before removing from paper and serving.