Sunday, March 27, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years, searching for the "perfect" one.  I know that means something different to everyone, but for me it means not too sweet, soft, and chewy.  I've made chocolate chip cookies with shortening instead of butter, cookies with half shortening/half butter, cookies with vanilla pudding mix added in to make them more fluffy...  All have been good, but none of them great.

As I read various recipes, this one by Alton Brown seemed to be right on.  It uses more brown sugar than white to give it richer flavor and a chewy texture, and bread flour instead of all-purpose, which has a higher gluten content and also contributes to a chewier cookie.  The flavor AND texture were perfect.  This is the recipe I have been looking for, and will be my go-to chocolate chip cookie from now on.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:
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2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 Tbs milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use 1 cup)


Cream melted butter and sugars in bowl of electric mixer.  Add egg and yolk, and mix well.  Add milk and vanilla, mixing until combined.  In small bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda.  With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375*.  Scoop cookies with ice cream scooper and place on greased cookie sheet, 6 per sheet.  The original recipe says to bake for 14 minutes.  My ice cream scooper must be smaller than Alton's, because my cookies were brown at only 10 minutes.  I would suggest checking them at 10 minutes, and see if they need the additional 4 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before moving to wire rack.

And just in case the cookies weren't sweet enough...

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Source: Alton Brown, Food Network

4 comments:

E Living said...

Hey there! LOVE the blog! :) I am a huge blog fan, and am so excited you joined the blogging community! I cannot wait to try some of your recipes - especially the sour dough one. I've done lots of bread, etc. - but never sour dough. I have to confess that I am an Alton Brown geek too, and probably watch Food Network more than I should. haha. Happy Monday!

Emily said...

Thanks, Elisabeth! I am new to the blog world, but I am really loving it! I've been keeping up on yours, too, and hope you recover from surgery soon and can start feeling better now that you have a diagnosis! I hope you love the recipes you try!

Unknown said...

The cookies look pretty amazing... but that baby! WOW!! I want her. Smooches for Poochie!

Sneh | Cook Republic said...

Your last sentence and then the picture .. made me smile :-). She is adorable!