Chocolate Chip Cookies

The past six months or so I have been searching for the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. I like chewy cookies fresh out of the oven. Most cookies turn dry and crumbly the next day which I'm not a fan of. I also like them a bit thicker, not thin and wimpy. I found a lot of the cookies that claimed to be plump and moist had a lot of baking soda which gave them a funky taste in the back of your mouth. I made a new CC cookie recipe yesterday and was really impressed. I had one of the leftover cookies today and they were still chewy! Yes! There are a couple more steps, but don't let that scare you off. Oh, and I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, I wasn't about to mix them up by hand!

This recipe makes 16 large cookies. They claim the larger cookies makes them cook more evenly, thus getting a chewy cookie all around. Also, I didn't brown the butter all the way. I was melting it in a smaller pan and got tired of waiting for it to brown, they were still delish. Also, the reason for the mixing and waiting, mixing and waiting of the butter and sugar is to melt the sugars and keep the cookies from browning too quickly in the oven.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunk

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
• 2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
• 3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
• 4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
• 5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

*Taken from America's Test Kitchen