Chocolate Chip Cookies
13I am always hearing people say they are on this constant search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Personally, though, I have never been on that quest. For one thing, chocolate chip has never been my favorite cookie. While I enjoy the chocolate chip cookie, it’s pretty far down the list of favorite cookies. Secondly, when I do feel the urge to make chocolate chip cookies, I’ve always used the same recipe, the recipe my mom always used: the classic Nestle Toll House recipe. And, of course, there’s a reason.
In my 2nd grade Greek school class, the students took turns bringing treats for the class. My mother, the perpetually late type, waited until the last minute possible to make the treats the week it was my turn–Toll House cookies. We grabbed the cookies from the oven and flew out the door so I wouldn’t be late for class. When we ate the cookies in class, they were still warm and gooey. Everyone was raving about how delicious they were. I was so happy everyone liked them that I decided to volunteer my mom’s services the following week, too.
The following week, however, my mom had to work late so my uncle Mike was stuck doing the baking and the driving to Greek school. I’m not sure where he got the recipe he used, but let’s just say, it wasn’t Toll House…and it wasn’t good. The cookies were ROCK hard. I was seriously worried some of my classmates would knock their teeth out taking a bite of these cookies.
So, you can understand why I’ve always stuck to the Tollhouse recipe. To me, it was a surefire crowd pleaser.
It was only recently that I decided to venture out into a new chocolate chip cookie recipe. I’ve seen these Cook’s Illustrated thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies all over message boards and the blogosphere. One night while Tom was at a game, I decided to try them out (I have a propensity to make while alone – not a good thing).
I LOVE these cookies. These are absolutely my new go-to chocolate recipe from now on. Tom liked these more than the Toll House recipe (which I had made just a few weeks prior). He ate four that night–not an easy feat considering the size of the cookies.
In place of chocolate chips (which, truth be told, have always been my least favorite part of the cookie), I used Trader Joe’s mini peanut butter cups. They didn’t hold their shape quite as well as chips, but they were mucho delicious.
Mine didn’t turn out quite as thick as they were supposed to (I’m fairly certain it’s the fault of my oven, as I froze some of the doughballs and they baked up twice as high in my toaster oven the following week). They were still big, chewy, and delicious, though! My old Greek school classmates would love them, I’m sure!
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cook’s Illustrated
Makes about 1.5 dozen
2 1/8 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 cups chocolate chips (I used mini peanut butter cups)
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.
Form a scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and, with jagged surfaces exposed, join halves together at their base, again forming a single cookie, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface. Place formed dough onto prepared cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.)
Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.) Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.
Yum Yum Yum, I love these cookies!
Oh my gosh, what a good idea to use mini pb cups! My husband would LOVE these!
Elly don’t you know I am back to my “everything in moderation” mantra? How could I eat just one of these?????????
I love the idea of using the mini-peanut butter cups! I love Trader Joe’s mini cups (although I toss them in the freezer and snack on them a little at a time…)
I am definitely going to try these out!
Oooh! Love the use of the mini peanut butter cups. Pure genius Elly!
Amazing how the experience of a second-grader can remain (almost) a lifetime.
I had the same problem with those peanut butter cups – they get a little too melty.
That one pic with the melty, peanutty, chocolatey goodness oozing makes me wish I had one here with me. Yum!
My husband would be all over those mini peanut butter cups. Those look super tasty.
Yummy yummy yummy! Boy, these cookies made my day already, right before 2009 comes. Elly, thanks for your gorgeous photos as always. I don’t know what to do without your recipes and food porn. I must make these cookies.
Those cc’s look good. I like the mini peanut butter cups in them.
Yum! Glad the mini pb choco chips worked out so well!
Ooh, thank you! These look delicious!