Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Chocolate Chip Cookies



I know you all need another goodie recipe from me like you need a hole in your head, but I couldn't resist. I've been wanting to get this recipe up for awhile since people keep asking for it, and I had to make them today anyway for a secretary at Peanut Head's office who is having a birthday this week, so . . . I'm all about killing two birds with one stone.

I'm giving you the recipe right up front because I'm going to refer to it. I cannot stress enough how important it is to follow this recipe exactly. People tell me "My cookies didn't turn out like yours," and that is because they don't follow the recipe EXACTLY. Trust me on this. That means no cutting corners and using margarine (Mattie Cake). Oh the horror. Margarine is a FAKE FAT. Do not use it in your baking. I have the ginormous butt to be able to tell you I know what I'm talking about here.

Okay, step one, dump the sugars, BUTTER, and shortening in your mixing bowl and combine it well. Betty Crocker would say, cream it, so do that.

Now it should look about like this. Not ready to start taste testing yet. Be patient.

Dump in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt and mix again.

Now, pay attention here. I have added my eggs and there are four eggs here because I happen to be doubling this recipe today since cookies will be leaving the house, and I'll have a mutiny on my hands if there aren't any left for us. So, pretend you see only two eggs.

I'm going to yell for a moment, so please excuse me. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF YOUR EGGS.

It is imperative that you heed this warning. Eggs are fragile. If you beat the crap out of them, your cookies will be fluffy and cake-like. If you want a cake, make a cake. These cookies are intended to be chewy, not cakey.

So, I have made my point and I'm sorry that I got so excited. I get that way sometimes. After you gently mix the eggs into your batter, stirring just enough to combine them, it will look something like the picture above.

Now you are ready to start adding your flour, again being careful to not mix too vigorously. Just enough to incorporate the flour. I tend to make a flour mess because I dump all my flour in at once and repeatedly turn my stand mixer on and off so that it mixes in half turns, thereby expelling a cloud of flour with each turn. It's okay. I mentally prepare myself for the mess, because it's for the good of the cookie.

It's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make.

Now, this is why our cookies look like OCD Chocolate Chip Cookies. We roll the dough into cookie sized balls, about 3/4 of an inch in diameter, and then press them into a bowl full of chocolate chips. Next, gently press down in order to get the chocolate chip hitchhikers.

Then place the cookie ball on your parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Do you see how there's still room for more chips? Flatten the dough ball slightly and then . . .

. . . start adding chocolate chips into all the exposed surface area a quarter of an inch and larger. If you want to add nuts, this is the point where you would do that instead of adding more chips. You want to really cram them on there because the cookie will flatten and you want every bite to have multiple chocolate chips.

You do, right?

They should look something like this.

The time for cooking is quite variable, depending on your oven. Start with 8 minutes and check them every minute until you find your magic number. The cookies are done when they just barely start to brown, like these cookies here.

Here is the bottom of the cooked cookie.

One other important point I'd like to make is that the dark Teflon coated cookie sheets are crap. They will burn the bottom of your cookies every time. Ideally, you want to use Air Bake cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper to eliminate the sticking. They're a tinsy bit more expensive, but worth it in the end and they last close to forever.

So, what do you think?

Are you ready for some cookies?

28 comments:

  1. Those look like the yummiest chocolate chip cookies...ever! Even better than the ones that Betty Crocker helps me bake. I just might have to try these ones. I'll have to sample the first batch before I give any to my family, though!

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  2. MeMeMeMe..... Me wanna cooooookie!!!!!! Nummy nummy nummy!

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  3. Do you have to show the close up photos of the finished product??? *drooling* geez, Jill....

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  4. Oh my heavens Jill! You would totally post this on Fat Tuesday when I have decided to give up sweets for the next 40 days! But I think I will make them for my 30th birthday! :)

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  5. Are these a GIVEAWAY????? They look amazingly good......thanks for sharing!

    Suzanne

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  6. OH My Goodness !!!!! Thank you!!! Thank you !!!! For these yummy cookies.Will be making them soon...

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  7. You're seriously trying to get me to fall off the diet wagon aren't you!!!!!!

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  8. hello, cellulite? prepare for visitors. mama's making you some chocolate chip cookies.

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  9. I love all the chocolate chips!!! Yum!

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  10. YUM! I'm hungry. I agree did you really need SUCH closeups! They look delicious!

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  11. WOW those do look like the BEST chocolate chip cookies EVER!!!! I LOVE all the choc. chips in them! Can't make them though cause I would eat ALL of them!!

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  12. Yummy! And I LOVE the way you add the chocolate chips. I smell cookies in my near future. And I was just thinking earlier this morning I needed to make some for my secret pal as they are her favorite. Thanks for sharing such an awesome recipe...will let you know how they turn out. :)

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  13. those look so crazy-good! don't tempt me!

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  14. I really need some of those. Those are so yummy looking cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  15. YUMMY and so cute. Love the recipe card... you are good. :)

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  16. Wowwie! Those are the best looking chocolate chip cookies I've EVER seen! I will definately have to make some of those. Thanks for always sharing your recipes. I love your cooking!

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  17. I admit to beating the crap out of my eggs, thanks for the tip! Also...do you use regular flavored shortening or the butter flavored???

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  18. I wish those cookies will appear in my cupboard....

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  19. Ok, I am SO going to make these! Heck I don't even like CCC's (I do have a thing for the dough though) but these are absolutely gorgeous! My family is going to go crazy for these for sure!

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  20. I had three sick babies to take care of today (my two kiddos and my husband) but I still managed to make these cookies today! And OH.MY.GAWD. These are SINFUL! The best I've ever had. Thanks so much! YUM!

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  21. Jill...I did make these YUMMY cookies a few weeks ago, but I have a question. How do YOU store them? With all those wonderful chips on the outside, I found that some of the chips would fall off in the ziploc bag I keep them in OR the chips would get a little smooshed. How do I keep my pretty chocolate chip cookies pretty? (I guess by not storing them in an ugly old ziploc bag is a good place to start!! :) ) THANKS...Erin Blair from www.stampwitherin.typepad.com

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  22. Jill... I am so grateful for finding your blog!! I just ruined a whole batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. After reading your blog, I realize the three things I did wrong. First, i used baking powder instead of baking soda. My cookies turned out white because of this. I also beat the hell out of my egs, and mixed the dough way too much. Come to think of it, it did taste like cake batter. Last, I used butter instead of margarine. I also notice that the recipe I used only calls for 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Lucky for me, I have everything I need at home to try again!

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  23. Your chocolate chip cookie it making me drool... Tonight is my first time reading your blog and I am totally hooked, from you great organization ideas to your lovely digi scraps to all the lovely recipes and treats. Thanks so much...

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  24. Well I just made these cookies. While my first pan didn't turn out like yours, the second one did. For my oven it was 14 minutes when the cookies started to brown. They are delicious! thanks for sharing!

    Wait, one question. In you pictures it looks like the butter soft but also a little melted. Is it supposed to be melted or just softened to room temp? Thanks!

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  25. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE these cookies. I made another batch, this time doubled, last night. I put reese pieces on one dozen.l I've found my very FAVORITE recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  26. Question -- What kind of flour did you use? I used pastry flour and my cookies didn't turn out chewy at all. I had to bake them until crunchy in order to get them to brown, and when I left them soft, they were super grainy. I also used dark brown sugar, but I don't think that should've affected the consistency.

    I ran out of large chocolate chips and ended up mixing mini chips with crushed Andes mints.. turned out delicious! :)

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