Sounds like a relaxing time, right?! Ok... that's not exactly how our single mom nights go. In actuality, we get our children together so they can run around one of our houses in madness while screaming and shooting each other with fake lasers and nerf guns while we drink a glass of wine (or two) to try to relax and escape homework or typical single mom stress.
Mass chaos masked by wine!
So one night we decided to make chocolate chip cookies to tame the wild children.
Finding the perfect chocolate chip recipe has really baffled me during my life. When I was a little girl my dad and I always made the original Toll House Cookie recipe. It's a great cookie, but I can't make these cookies as perfectly as my dad... they either end up too chewy or too crunchy or... I'm not really sure why I'm not a professional at these cookies after making them my entire childhood, but I'm not.
I've been through SO MANY chocolate chip cookie recipes. The question is simply this: Do you like your chocolate chip cookies to be gooey, fluffy, crunchy, cakey, chewy, or a combo of these? I like a combo. So I set out to learn about leavening and create the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe: crunchy and chewy. Amidst the workload of law school, I failed.
But then I remembered Smitten Kitchen. I love that blog! And, of course, she has a TON of chocolate chip cookie recipes. And, of course, she has a perfect recipe for me! (Even baby Emilee approved!!!)
These cookies are thicker cookies that are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle (as long as you don't overcook them) with a taste of the original Toll House cookie recipe. Delicious!
Crispy, Chewy, Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe borrowed from Smitten Kitchen
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (This is different than the original Toll House recipe because you are not going to have to go through the traditional "creaming" method.)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (feel free to substitute half of this with strong bourbon and add walnuts to the cookies during Derby!!! Mmmm...)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease cookie sheet.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until well blended.
Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Slowly mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips (and walnuts if you're using them) by hand using a wooden spoon.
Drop the cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they're done; DO NOT OVER COOK THESE COOKIES; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven. You will bake until lightly toasted.
It always takes me one tray before I know the perfect cooking time for these cookies.
I will say to err on the side of less cooked if you want them to remain chewy past one day.
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Then EAT ALL THE COOKIES because they're really best eaten that day.
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