My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
I decided that I needed to step away from peanut butter, oats, and blueberries for a while. I think it probably seems like my diet consists solely of those ingredients but I promise it doesn’t! I really don’t eat everything that I bake; I give most of it away. Except for these cookies. My favorite chocolate chip cookies. No blog or baker is complete without a favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies! I could, without a doubt, eat a whole batch of these without batting an eye. You’ll see.
The minute I tasted these cookies, though, I knew I needed to share them. They are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Really. The recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated. I purchased the Cook’s Illustrated The New Best Recipes Cookbook several months ago and sat down and read it cover to cover and the method made me go “huh?” You’ll see what I mean below…anyway, I put the cookbook on my shelf, have used it several time between now and then but never for the cookies. I was making my way to some of my favorite blogs and noticed that everyone has a chocolate chip cookie recipe and I was missing one.
I’ve pretty much framed this recipe and am 99.9% sure that almost every cookie recipe that I use going forward will be adapted from this one. It’s so delightful. And you can mix it by hand! The melted butter and extra egg yolk creates this creamy gooey center and you will never go back either. In fact, since I made these the first time, I’ve made two more batches and I can’t stop, they are simply the best!
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Yield: 15 large cookies
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 40 min
My favorite recipe for a classic - chocolate chip cookies. Soft and chewy and full of chocolate chunks.
Ingredients:
1.5 sticks cup butter (3/4 cup) melted and cooled until just warm
2 cups + 2 Tbs. flour (10 5/8 ounces)*
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar, packed (7 ounces)*
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)*
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups chocolate chips or chocolate chunks(or your favorite mix-ins)Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter in a glass bowl. Let the melted butter sit for 10 minutes to cool.
In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
Add the sugars to the melted and cooled butter and mix by hand until well-blended. Add the eggs and vanilla and incorporate. Add the flour and stir until all is incorporated. It will be tough but not too tough to complete by hand. Add the mix-ins and stir. The dough will be stiff but still easy enough to mix by hand.
To make jumbo cookies (as the recipe calls): use a large cookie scoop (2 3/4-ounce)to scoop the batter. Divide the ball in half and rotate each ball 90 degrees. What used to be the inside is no facing upward. Smash the two halves back together so that the jagged edges are facing up and place on a prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the other dough.
For smaller cookies: use a regular cookie balling method, except pull the ball half way apart, rotate 90 degrees and smash the halves back together (same method as above.)
Bake for 11-12 minutes (jumbo) or 10-11 minutes (regular sized). Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet; they will continue to cook a bit so don’t leave them in the oven too long. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
*I used a food scale to measure the flour, brown sugar and granulated sugar. I would suggest using a scale if you have one, I found that it helped a lot with these cookies.
Recipe from Cook's Illustrated
Print Recipe
Mmm…I can smell those through my computer screen. They look pretty perfect to me 🙂
Oh yummy I wish I could eat on of these now!
Yum yum! Alton Brown has a similar recipe/method and they are so good. Can't wait to try these – I think I'll make them for our houseguests this weekend!
WOW! I love my cookie recipe by this one looks amazing! The finished product with all those chips – yum!!!
I am always on the look out for the perfect cookie! I might just have to bake myself a huge batch of these cookies myself!
It's funny, I have the same cookbook but I wasn't in love with these cookies. The texture is fab, definitely but I didn't like the taste as much as other recipes, and I think it's the melted butter. But to each his own, I am glad you like them! They look awesome.
Melty chocolate chips…swoon!!
I've made these, too! Super yummy!
Sounds like a great cookbook and a fabulous cookie recipe! Yum!
Cassie…what a beautiful texture on those cookies! I swear by Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen. All their little funky steps really make a difference in the end! I'm certain I could eat the entire batch of these, too! : )
I would forget about calories counting too and chomp up at these delicious cookies.
These look like big bakery style chocolate chip cookies-yum! I will need to try these, thanks for sharing.
These look crazy delicious, yummmm!! 🙂
How can anyone resist that title? These look so, so gooood! I'm always trying new chocolate chip cookie recipes and this is definitely next on my list!
Wow – Those cookies look absolutely PERFECT! I'd like 4-6 with a tall glass of milk, please!
These look so delicious. I might have to buy this cookbook. You did a fab job on these.
These look perfect! It's my new recipe!
this is a great recipe…I've only made them once, but loved them!
ive been craving chocolate chip cookies, ooo
Mmm those melted chips are definitely mouth watering!
My husband's favorite dessert is Chocolate Chip Cookies, so I'm always on the lookout for a new version. These look great!
I have been looking for a perfect cookie recipe. Maybe I found it now 😛
Ohh woww those look amazing..so tempting, and last picture..ahh chocolate! I want bite too!:))
Well, I DID have cooking plans for the day. I think they have just changed 😀
I heard that if you eat those cookies with skim milk the calories dont count. If that is the case I will take 6.
I love finding/creating the "BEST" cookie ever! 🙂 I wish I could grab a handful of 'em … they do look like the best cookies ever!
Don't you just love when you find the perfect cookie?! Everyone has one – and I just love trying them all. Can't wait to tackle this one =)
They look Yummi!
Enjoy Cooking!
These.are.dangerous. But I want to sneak into your kitchen for one right now 🙂 I love best ever recipes!
I agree with you, they are the best cookies ever!
I can't wait to try this recipe! They look like just how I like my chocolate chip cookies and I don't have a recipe that I really like so I'm trying this one for sure! I laughed about having to give away baked goods. I have to do the same thing with my blog or I'd weigh 300 pounds! 🙂
Who doesnt love an awesome cookie? These look milk worthy!
It may be time to add a new chocolate chip cookie recipe to my blog. This looks amazing!
Oh, wow. These look seriously amazing! I'm always looking for a new chocolate chip cookie recipe!
I am going to make those too! They look so chocolatey and tempting!
You can't beat a chocolate chip cookie and these look delicious!
I'm not sure if I'm just reading your recipe wrong but there aren't instructions on when to incorporate the flour mixture. I would love to make these, they look great.
The Cooks Illustrated recipe is how I adapted my Peanut Butter Oatmeal White Choc Chip cookies (which are probably my #1 fave cookie on my blog and the only cookies that could top it in life are my grandma’s…but of cookies I can make and have made..)the Cooks Illustrated recipe derivation is my go to now.
Glad to know you love it and have followed it to a T for these. I admit, I’ve never followed it to a T. But the melted butter and the 1 egg + 1 yolk tricks are staples for me now. And 2x the brown to 1x the white sugar, too.
Just wonderin, your ingredients say baking soda but your directions say baking powder?
Cassie replied: — May 31st, 2012 @ 8:13 am
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It is baking soda and it’s now fixed. Thanks again!
I’d love to see pics of the crazy method for shaping these cookies (not sure I get it) and hear an explanation of WHY one would use a cookie scoop and then turn the balls inside out.
These are delicious!!! Two thumbs up!
Wow, these look really good1 I cant wait to try them! Ive been looking for a recipe like this for a while now! Thanks!