Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve always heard that there are two camps of chocolate chip cookie lovers: those who like them thin and crispy and those who like them big and chewy. Outrageous! EVERYONE likes them big and chewy, perhaps in part because that soft quality is difficult to maintain once the cookies lose their oven-fresh meltiness. I’m on a lifelong quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe (who isn’t??) and this is the current leader. The melted butter, higher brown to granulated sugar ratio, extra egg yolks, and slow baking at a low temp all contribute to the dream cookie. Thanks again ATK!

And now for my ***biggest best baking tip ever***: parchment paper. Instead of greasing the pan, line it with a sheet of parchment paper. Cookies, bread, pizzas, scones, cake–no baked good will ever stick, and you don’t have to wash the pan as often.

This batch came out a little thicker than usual, the oven here is kinda wack (bought mom an oven thermometer the other day, discovered it was a whole 50 degrees high). But they were still dreamy.

 

“Big and Chewy” Chocolate Chip Cookies (from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the chocolate chips until incorporated.
4. Working with 1/4 cup of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft and puffy, 17 to 20 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.
5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.