Tuesday, June 1, 2010

M's Chocolate Chip Cookies


Chocolate chip cookies were the first homemade cookie Betty Crapper attempted many decades ago. Over the years, I experimented with many recipes. Some recipes yielded thick, chewy cookies. Other recipes yielded thin, crispy discs. The worst offenders were so dry and dense they could have been used as hockey pucks. 

Yesterday, my favorite recipe yielded chewy cookies full of chocolate and pecans. They were exquisite both alone and crumbled in a bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream

The chocolate chip cookie recipe I love was adapted from the back of a bag of Ghirardelli's semi-sweet chocolate chips. I made a few changes (less white sugar, added dark brown sugar, mixed bittersweet and semi-sweet chips) with excellent results.

You will need all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, semi-sweet chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips, and chopped pecans.


Cream butter and sugars. Betty Crapper loves tasting as she makes cookie dough. Don't you?


Add vanilla and an egg. Mix on low speed just until combined. Add another egg and mix on low until combined.


Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low.


Add your chips and chopped nuts. Mix on low speed until incorporated. Betty Crapper's old KitchenAid stand mixer almost died mixing this. The heavy dough gave my workhorse some trouble.


Betty Crapper indulges in raw cookie dough. I know I'm not alone.


Drop by rounded tablespoons onto your cookie sheets.


Bake


Cool on rack.


M's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt with a whisk. Set aside. In another bowl cream butter with sugars, on medium speed, until creamy. Add vanilla and one egg. Beat on low just until incorporated. Add the other egg and beat on low until just incorporated. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing on low to combine. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Mix to combine. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets about three minutes before removing. Cool on wire racks.

Tips (Lessons Learned the Hard Way)
  • Frequently scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl.
  • Place your cookie dough on cool baking sheets.
  • Bake one sheet at a time in the center of your oven. Now is not the time to be in a hurry.
  • Use a metal spatula to remove cookies from baking sheets.
  • Do not stack hot cookies or they will stick to each other.

I like to eat my chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream. It reminds me of dessert at my favorite vacation destination.


How do you eat your chocolate chip cookies? Betty Crapper wants to know.






15 comments:

  1. warm homemade chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite indulgences! These look to die for!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are such yummy treats! I eat them as is or smeared with Nutella or peanut butter!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Absolutely amazing. Heavenly, I must say! I will try this recipe. I've always wanted the perfect chocolate chip recipe! I may have found it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi! I saw a link to your blog on the orgjunkie menu plan. The name bettycrapper kinda stuck out! Anyway, your blog looks great. I just started one awhile back, and I'm still trying to get the hang of it. The recipes look delicious!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. drool. i have everything but the chocolate chips or i'd make them tonight!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I usually eat mine still warm with a cold glass of milk. But after seeing your picture I really *need* them with ice cream!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am so hungry now! My daughter made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies the other day...omg amazing! (she's 16 and loves to cook - I lover her!)
    Great you mentioned cooling the baking sheet between batches - that's half the key to perfect cookies each batch!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like to eat mine raw! That dough looks so good, I don't know if it would get to the cookie sheet. These look like they are perfect - now to crispy and not too doughy. Thanks for sharing, M!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mmmmm. I love me some chocolate chip cookies. I like your addition of bittersweet chips as well.

    Another good tip for cookies is to refrigerate your dough for about 10 minutes before cooking them up. If your butter's too warm you run the risk of flat cookies! Something I learned the hard way as well.

    I like mine any way I can get them, but they're best fresh out of the oven still warm.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The cookies are amazing. I hope you were able to find a suitably appropriate nickname for your sister. I'm so glad you've joined my site. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love cookies by themselves or raw...yummy! Now I have to go bake some. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm with you....I have to have chewy cookies! These look fantastic. What better way to eat them than with ice cream.

    P.S. My all-time favorite cc cookie is Tyler Florence's big fat chocolate chip cookie recipe on Food Network. It is a huge cookie, with huge chunks of chocolate chips and is the ultimate in chewy.

    Have a great day!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Isn't tasting along the way a requirement? ;o) I love a good chocolate chip cookie. BTW I bake all of my cookies on top of parchment paper which makes removing them after baking a snap :o)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, these are so yummy! Now if only I have an oven. Stopping by from SITS!

    ReplyDelete
  15. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES AND CINNAMON ROLLS OR BUNS ARE MY 2 FAVORITE DESSERTS EVER YUM :)

    ReplyDelete