Chocolate Chip Cookies

[Consuela]

The perfect chocolate chip cookie, to me, is ever elusive.

I swear. I've spent half of my life baking chocolate chip cookies, and hardly ever, do they come out perfect. Except for the last 3 times I made them. Perfect. Chewy, chocolatey, excellent. I ate them all. Or at least I contributed to the eating of them. And I kept notes... (325*, 11 minutes in my oven, chill the dough).

Oh well. Tonight I thought I'd make a double batch with the same recipe that's been working for me. You know, for Hubby's lunch, because I'm nice like that.

Turns out I forgot the Baking Soda... and it didn't call for baking powder so there was no leavening agent in my cookies.

Hmmm... They're not terrible...but that little itty bit of baking soda?

I've decided, it makes a flippin' difference



SO... what are YOUR secrets to chocolate chip cookies?

 

[FlybyStardancer]

My absolute favorite chocolate chip recipe is what my mom made when I was a child... It's this recipe here. Mom would NOT omit the spices when adding the chocolate chips (why do they call for omitting the spices when using chocolate chips? That's stupid lol). Mom used margarine when she made it. I've since switched to butter and I've found that they spread too much with butter if the dough is at room temperature, so I'll chill it for maybe half-hour minimum before portioning and baking.

Now, there are plenty of people in my group of friends that aren't as fond of that recipe as I am. So what's become my go-to for my friends is is America's Test Kitchen's "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe. It's awesome for me because the butter gets melted and browned instead of creamed with sugar, so it's perfect for when I forget to thaw butter (I buy several lbs at once and toss all but the stick I'm using in the freezer to help keep it fresh).

 

[snappyllama]

FlyByStardance, I use almost the same recipe from the same site! Mine is actually the one that comes inside the lid on Quaker Oatmeal. I omit the raisins altogether for my husband on one tray and then add in chocolate chips for the rest of us. Of course, I have to do the high altitude substitution. They are the only cookies I've had much luck with since moving from sea level. I think the oatmeal must have more protein so they don't rise too quickly and then fall. I under cook them a bit so they don't dry out too quickly up here.

http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipe/vanishing-oatmeal-raisin-cookies.aspx

ETA: I put pecans in too... as all cookies require pecans.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

lol I find it funny when people say "I use the one on the box!". When my mom made the cookies when I was little, the recipe we use WAS the one on the box. Then when I was in my late teens we went to make another batch... And they had a different recipe on the box! They definitely didn't turn out like the older recipe. So I did some internet sleuthing and found the recipe on the website and printed it out so that we'd always have it.

Eh, I could do without pecans. I'm not a fan of the texture of nuts, though. Too chewy for something that's supposed to be crunchy.

 

[snappyllama]

Eh, I could do without pecans. I'm not a fan of the texture of nuts, though. Too chewy for something that's supposed to be crunchy.

Now I pride myself on trying to be open-minded and accepting of people's differences. However...

 

[not_ally]

That is a really funny graphic, Snappy! I make have it tattooed somewhere that I can whip it out handily

 

[jules92207]

I'm actually a big fan of the tollhouse recipe, usually found right on the chocolate chip package. I actually have the tollhouse cookbook so I use that one religiously. Ironically I prefer Ghirardelli chocolate chips though - milk chocolate is my fav.

That being said, I recently discovered dark chocolate chips which I tried out in a peanut butter chocolate chip recipe recently and they were divine. I think next chocolate chip batch I'll have to try dark instead.

One recent trick I found was if I whisk the flour first then spoon the flour into my measuring cup the consistency is much better in the cookie. Often I found I had too much flour and this has helped me eliminate that.

That peanut butter chocolate chip recipe is here:
http://www.theidearoom.net/2012/01/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

 

[shunt2011]

I too favor the Toll house recipe but I always add more flour than called for to give them a bit more rise and texture. I also chill the dough a while too.

I also like the Quaker Oats oatmeal a lot but use cranberries instead of raisins. Not a big fan of raisins.

 

[navigator9]

I too favor the Toll house recipe but I always add more flour than called for to give them a bit more rise and texture. I also chill the dough a while too.
.

Shunt, you may have the secret there. I had heard a lot about this recipe..... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/09chip.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 and tried it, but made the mistake of baking the cookies on a silicone liner. It ruined the texture. I tried again, with just the cookie sheet, and they were much better. It seems letting the dough sit for 36 hours is an important factor. You could probably just use your own recipe, and try letting the dough sit for 36 hours, and see what difference that made. Mmmm.....warm chocolate chip cookies and a big glass of cold milk. O...M...G!

 

[shunt2011]

My dads favorite have always been my chocolate chip cookies. I probably use an extra 1/4 cup or so of flour. Now I need to make some cookies soon.

 

[lenarenee]

We also use the Toll House recipe, only we use half the amount of butter, reduce the white sugar by 1/4, and use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar - to make sure they have a seriously caramel flavor! Also...quality chocolate chips, mixed with chocolate chunks and chocolate bits on top to make sure you get enough chocolate!

 

[Consuela]

Also...quality chocolate chips, mixed with chocolate chunks and chocolate bits on top to make sure you get enough chocolate!

Absolutely! The chocolate to dough ration must be correct!

 

[lenarenee]

You got it...the dough is just a vehicle to deliver massive quantities of chocolate goodness to your mouth!

 

[IrishLass]

I think chocolate chip cookies are one of the most awesome culinary delights to ever be invented, and to satisfy the major chocaholic in me, my most favorite chocolate chip cookie is the Triple Chocolate Cookie recipe from America's Test Kitchen, which has melted bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate mixed in with the eggs, sugar and flour to make up the batter, with semi-sweet chocolate chips added to the finished batter before baking. They are out of this world yummy good!

My hubby's favorite cookie is Spritzgebaek, or spritz for short. I make a delicate version that just melts in the mouth. The chocoholic in me dips the ends in melted chocolate after they've cooled down from baking. :mrgreen:


IrishLass

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Yay, someone else using an ATK recipe. Really, though, the perfect chocolate chip recipe is the better one because the caramelly brown butter flavor is an amazing complement to the chocolate. (I also replace the nuts in the recipe with more chocolate chips, which gives to a very good load of chocolate. )

 

[fuzz-juzz]

I use half palm oil half butter. And Pinch of yum's M&M's cookies recipe.
I just replace M&Ms with choc chips. We like our cookies fat and fluffy.
Naughty I know....here palm oil comes as shortening for cooking and that's what I use. No more flat, road kill cookies I get when just using butter.

 

[IrishLass]

Yay, someone else using an ATK recipe. Really, though, the perfect chocolate chip recipe is the better one because the caramelly brown butter flavor is an amazing complement to the chocolate. (I also replace the nuts in the recipe with more chocolate chips, which gives to a very good load of chocolate. )

I love ATK. They make me look like I'm some sort of brilliant chef at family dinner gatherings and potlucks.

From your description, I think I'm going to have to try that Perfect Chocolate Chip recipe. 'Caramelly' sounds too good for me to pass up!

I'm with you in regards to replacing nuts with chocolate chips. I find that nuts are nothing but little nuisances that only get in the way of the chocolate. lol


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

IL I have a feeling you are a brilliant cook. Just from some of the recipes you have shared here. Woman of many talents for sure!

 

[IrishLass]

IL I have a feeling you are a brilliant cook. Just from some of the recipes you have shared here. Woman of many talents for sure!

That's very nice of you to say, Shari. I feel I've come a very long way. When hubby and I got married, pretty much the only things I knew how to make were chocolate chip cookies from the back of the Toll House Morsels package, brownies from the same package, canned soup, and mac 'n cheese from the blue and yellow box. My mom was an awesome scratch cook and I always longed to be involved with her in the kitchen, but she always shooed us kids out when cooking, so cooking was a total mystery to me when I got married. I owe many thanks to the Frugal Gourmet and ATK for sure....and it helped that I have a very patient, helpful, encouraging, and understanding hubby. lol


IrishLass

 

[not_ally]

He clearly knows what is good for him, in many ways I agree w/Shari, I bet you are an awesome cook too.