Favorite Thing Friday: Best Ever Cookies

On the last Friday of every month, I like to bake for my co-workers. My usual specialty is frosted brownies that can give you a stomach ache with one small square (and it’s totally worth it!), but this month I decided to pull out my treasured chocolate chip cookie recipe.

For years, I trusted the recipe on the back of the Toll House chocolate chip bag, but I could never get those cookies to turn out quite right. My sister, on the other hand, is a true master of that recipe. Her cookies are crispy and perfectly sweet! After some soul searching I realized I can’t make cookies like that because I like my cookies to have more of a European coffee shop taste. Sweet, but not too sweet. Crispy, yet soft. The Toll House recipe is good, but it can never achieve the taste ratio I love.

Last year I was cruising through yahoo.com when I came across a link that read, “Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies.” The first thing through my head was yeah, right, but I clicked on it anyway.  Little did I know I’d end up at my cookie mecca.  I had finally found a cookie recipe inspired by a European coffee cafe and bakery!

After making several batches, I can attest that they are indeed the best ever chocolate chip cookies. That being said, I still love my sister’s cookies. Rather than claiming the best cookie title, I’d say we are masters of our own cookie domains!

Go ahead and try out the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 sticks (16 tbsp) European style unsalted butter, room temp.
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips (or chunks)

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
2. In a separate, larger bowl mix butter and sugar until creamy (light and fluffy).
3. Mix in eggs one at a time.
4. Mix in vanilla extract.
5. On low speed, mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix!
6. Stir in chocolate chips until just incorporated. Do not over mix!
7. Use an ice cream scoop to make dough balls.
8. Place dough balls on cookie sheets prepared with parchment paper. Refrigerate overnight.
9. Preheat over 375º with rack in the center.
10. Make sure cookie sheets are lined with parchment paper and space out dough balls with 2″ between.
11. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and puffy on top.
12. Cool on wire rack.

I put my dough in a covered cake pan for their overnight chill. Don’t forget the parchment paper for chilling and baking!

Freshly baked cookies cooling on the rack!

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What’s your favorite thing this week?

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c.b.w. 2013

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