372,000. That is how many results you will find if you type chocolate chip cookie recipe into Google. Amazing! Since I was a little girl, the chocolate chip cookie has been my favorite cookie. Of course who doesn't like eating the dough, but it's more than that. There is just something about the aroma these cookies give off as they are being baked. And let's not forget the warm, melty goodness when you eat one straight from the oven. Mmmmm, heaven. Add an ice cold glass of milk and you're set. Ok, now I'm starting to get hungry. Good thing I froze some of this dough ;)
After my wonderful description (wink, wink) of the chocolate chip cookie, you will understand my excitement over receiving the ART & SOUL of BAKING by Cindy Mushet for Sur la table, for my birthday! Yea! And of course I just HAD to read it from cover to cover. So what was the first recipe I tried? Devil's food cupcake? Nope. Dairy challah? Guess again. Chocolate Chip Cookies? Ding ding ding! Yup, I tried the chocolate chip cookie recipe. Surprisingly, the recipe was very close to the Tollhouse recipe. But oh so much better! Trust me, you will never go back to that Tollhouse recipe again.Because in my oh so humble opinion, it is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever tried. I'm including the recipe below. If you decide to try it, please drop me a comment on your own results.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe by Cindy Mushet
the ART & SOUL of BAKING
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) of unsalted butter, softened (65-68 degrees F)
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (6 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces good-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch chunks, or 1 cup (7 ounces) dark chocolate chips *(I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chocolate chips.)
6 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch chunks, or 1 cup (7 ounces) milk chocolate chips *(I used Ghiradelli white chocolate chips instead.)
1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts), chopped, toasted, and completely cooled (optional) *(I did not put nuts in mine.)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position an oven rack in the center. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat on medium-low speed until smooth and blended, about 2 minutes. You can also use a hand mixer and a medium bowl, although you may need to beat the mixture a little longer to achieve the same results. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until just blended after each addition. Add the vanilla and blend well. Scrape down the bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and add the flour mixture all at ounce. Blend just until there are no more patches of flour. Scrape down the bowl.
4. Add the semisweet and milk chocolate chunks and nuts (if using), and blend on low just until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir gently a few times with the spatula to make sure there are no more patches of unincorporated flour or butter lurking near the bottom of the bowl.
5. Using the small ice cream scoop or spoon, portion tablespoon-size mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, rotating the sheet halfway through, for 10-14 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown at the edges and still a bit pale in the center. If you want crisp cookies instead of chewy ones, bake for a couple extra minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before serving.
Stay tuned for my next baking adventure!
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