Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few years ago I had an exchange student from Brazil. One day I made chocolate-chip cookies and discovered that he had never heard of them before! He loved them. Later he had some chocolate chip cookies made by Karen Morales and he told me that he was having a hard time deciding who’s were best;>) It got me thinking that everyone has their favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Some people like theirs soft and cakey while others like theirs crispy while still other like theirs soft and chewy. I personally like my Chocolate Chip Cookies soft and chewy and I want them to be that way for a few days! I have also discovered that if I make a batch of dough and divide it into batches so I get one dozen cookies out of each batch that it works best to bake one dozen and freeze the rest; that way you can always have fresh cookies and you don’t have to spend so much time in the kitchen at one time. If any of you would like to share you favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with me I would be happy to publish it.

The Chewy

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown - Food TV

Serves: 2 1/2 dozen cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container

The Chewy Gluten Free

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown – Food TV

Serves: 2 dozen cookies
8 ounces unsalted butter
11 ounces brown rice flour, approximately 2 cups
1 1/4 ounces cornstarch, approximately 1/4 cup
1/2-ounce tapioca flour, approximately 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
10 ounces light brown sugar, approximately 1 1/4 cups
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Once melted, pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
In a medium bowl, sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xantham gum, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Add both of the sugars to the bowl with the butter and using the paddle attachment, cream together on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, approximately 1 hour. Shape the dough into 2-ounce balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes, rotating the pans after 7 minutes for even baking. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the pans for 2 minutes. Move the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Store cooked cookies in an airtight container.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe courtesy Canyon Ranch

Serves: 38 cookies
Canola oil
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup low-fat cream cheese
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 6 ounces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with canola oil.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on low speed with an electric mixer. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix on low until just combined.
In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to butter mixture and mix by hand until combined. Portion heaping teaspoonfuls (or use a 3/4 ounce scoop) onto baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes. Lightly flatten cookies with finger. Rotate baking sheet and bake an additional 3 minutes.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cook’s Illustrated (May/June 2009)

Note: Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.
1 3/4 c. (8 3/4 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
14 T. (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 c. (3 1/2 oz.) granulated sugar
3/4 c. (5 1/4 oz.) packed dark brown sugar
1 t. table salt
2 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
3/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18 x 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 T. butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted,a bout 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 T. butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Divid dough into 16 portions, each about 3 T. (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches).
Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Carol Klinker’s “modified” recipe

2 1/4 c. bread flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. packed dark-brown sugar
1 t. salt
4 t. pure vanilla extract (I used Pampered Chef pure vanilla)
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 T. sour cream
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. milk chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375º F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. Heat butter in skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the browned butter and oil with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, eggs and sour cream. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill dough for about 24 hours. You can also freeze some of the dough for later.
Using a small scoop (#2530 Pampered Chef), drop dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, around 12 minutes depending on your oven. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Print this post