The bread and butter of my cookie repertoire. I have baked this cookie hundreds of times, maybe a thousand. Not too sweet, full of flavor, just the kind you imagine when you crave a good chocolate chip cookie!
So, how did this recipe come to be? How is it possible that one could spend 18 years of baking and cookie creating and still be disappointed with a basic chocolate chip cookie?
Getting this recipe right was a big deal for me. I spent years of testing and trying, adjusting and tasting, all in the hope that I would eventually arrive at the perfect chocolate chip cookie. In our family, it is tradition to keep a file of rejections to look back on when we finally achieve success. My husband to this day has a file folder of job rejections from early in his career. It is a reminder to him to work hard and be grateful. I have a similar folder full of cookie “rejections.” They were good recipes, but only good. Not great. Sure, they made a chocolate chip cookie, but they lacked that deeply satisfying flavor profile with spot-on texture to match.
The ideal chocolate chip cookie shouldn’t be dry and crumbly by nightfall, should taste just as great the next day, and the dough doesn’t need to be refrigerated overnight (it’s too slow and tastes different – it’s just not my thing). I wanted a cookie that wasn’t so soft it feels like cake, or so crisp it’s almost a shortbread, or so crunchy it necessitates milk. These all have their place, but not in the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I needed the right balance of butter and brown sugar, the right amount of flour to hold all the chocolate chips.
One day, it all came together. My work and efforts paid off and I was so happy. I made it again and again and still make it again, and again, and again.
Products I Love to Use When Making these Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Shortening
- White Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Vanilla
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Table Salt
- All-Purpose Flour
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
#1 Chocolate Chip Cookie
The bread and butter of my cookie repertoire. The one I have baked hundreds of times, maybe a thousand. Not too sweet, full of flavor, just the kind you imagine when you crave a good chocolate chip cookie!
Ingredients
- 1 C (8 oz) salted butter
- ½ C (3.4 oz) shortening
- 1 C (7 oz) white sugar
- 1 C (8 oz) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 T vanilla
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 4 C (18 oz) all-purpose flour
- 3 C (18 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375*F.
- Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients, setting aside ½ C (3 oz) of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Mix until fully combined.
- Using a #30 (2 ½ T) or #20 (¼ C) cookie dough scoop (depending on your preferred cookie size), place portioned dough a few inches apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Top with 4-5 chocolate chips from reserved chocolate. Bake 7-9 minutes for #30 size and 9-11 minutes for #20 size. Bake until the edges are lightly browned.
- Cool completely before storing. If the entire batch isn’t eaten right away, store in an airtight container. These cookies store well in the fridge for a week in a plastic zip-top bag or freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, let thaw in their packaging.
Notes
- If the weather is particularly warm, I might add 1 additional ounce (about ¼ C) of flour to compensate for butter that gets too soft while the dough is waiting to be put in the oven.
- Make sure the all-purpose flour you use contains 10.5-11.7 percent protein.
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We made these today! I froze some cookie dough in balls for a busy day when we need to deliver a treat to someone.