December 16, 2020
Everyone needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. We all have one, and it usually changes over the years. A new one slips in there and takes over just when you had the old one memorized.
I started my chocolate chip cookie career with the Nestle Tollhouse recipe on the back of the morsel bag. I think a lot of people start there (and end there). They are good! A trustworthy recipe. But I did not stop with the yellow bag.
For a while I wanted my chocolate chip cookies cakey. That was short-lived. Then I wanted them crispy (a la Tates). And finally I found chewy, and that has remained my favorite. What more could I want than a chewy, gooey, melt in my mouth cookie.
I have to say I found what I was looking for in a recipe my niece, Jordana, created. Yes she tinkered and toyed with the proportions and found what I think is “the cookie”. It’s a masterpiece of perfection. I am asked to bring them to all gatherings. (otherwise known as “Don’t show up unless you bring the cookies.” )
I think something that makes them extraordinarily special is the mix of sugars; granulated, brown and turbinado. Then there is the hint of coffee that is there but undetectable, and healthy amount of vanilla extract. Finish it off with a pinch of flaky salt and you have a masterpiece on your hands.
Wait, you say... salt? I say, just try it.
Recipe
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
For the Cookie
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
1 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 12oz bag chocolate chips, chunks or pieces, semi-sweet or milk
Flaky salt, such as Maldon, for finishing
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set you oven rack to the center of the oven.
In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and kosher salt.
In the bowl of a standing mixer use the paddle attachment to cream the butter and the three sugars for 3-5 minutes on medium. Scrape down the bowl once or twice to make sure no butter sticks to the sides.
Add the instant coffee and beat until combined.
Pour in the vanilla. Add the eggs one and a time on low until fully incorporated
Add the flour mixture slowly to your batter, continuing to mix on low. The batter will get very thick. That is expected. It will look like it is a little dry. That is expected.
Add the chocolate chips and continue to mix on low until they have been distributed throughout the batter.
Use an ice cream scooper to scoop out large cookies, placing no more than 6 on a cookie sheet.
IMPORTANT STEP- sprinkle Maldon salt on each cookie. Just a small pinch will do!
Bake one cookie sheet on the middle rack for 12 minutes, turning your cookie sheet mid-way through for even baking.
At 12 minutes the cookies will seem underdone, but take them out anyway and leave them to rest on the cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes.
Now you will be happy you have that second cookie sheet prepared. While the first one is at rest, put your second one in the oven.
Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.