Friday, February 1, 2013

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Few things are more comforting in life than the simple basics, something I find especially true with baking. When you're having a rough day or longing for the simplicity of childhood, nothing quite hits the spot like a chocolate chip cookie (or the dough, for that matter!). I've tried quite a few chocolate chip cookie recipes in my baking adventures thus far, but this one is consistently the best by far. It's chewy, with plenty of moisture and depth of flavor, thanks to the added richness of a higher brown-to-white sugar ratio and an extra egg yolk.




Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, based on the recipe by Shauna Sever

Makes about 18 cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (the best part about using melted butter: not having to wait for butter to come to room temperature and easy, smooth mixing)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I like to use high-quality vanilla extract for this recipe, if available)
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I like to mix both semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips--Ghirardelli 60% cacao premium baking chips are excellent)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugars. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix in the flour, soda, and salt mixture before adding in the chocolate chips.

Form large balls of the cookie dough, about 1/4 cup each, into rounds and slightly flatten each one. Arrange on the cookie sheet with enough room for the cookies to expand (about six per sheet). Bake for 15-17 minutes, just until the cookies begin to turn light brown. Allow cookies to cool, first on the sheet and then on a wire rack. Enjoy!

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