Not Thin, Not Puffy
This post is about chocolate chip cookies. In particular, it is about really good chocolate chip cookies.
Are you tired of people making chocolate chip cookies that way too sweet, like they accidentally used twice as much sugar? And left out the butter?
Are you tired of chocolate chip cookies where the chocolate chips taste more like chalk than chocolate?
Well preheat your oven to delicious and stop the insanity.
Step One: Go and get yourself some Guittard chocolate chips. According to America's Test Kitchen (and I agree with this assessment), they are the best around. Better than Ghirardelli, and about a million times better than that Tollhouse crap you probably have in your cabinet. The milk chocolate variety are usually preferred for cookies, but I also recommend the semi-sweet for chocolate covered strawberries (which you may agree with if you're lucky enough to have sampled mine), or just snacking on.
Step Two is to follow Alton Brown's recipe for Chewy chocolate chip cookies. It available on FoodTV, but I'll repost here in case that is only temporary.
The Chewy Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Three Chips for Sister Marsha
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Are you tired of people making chocolate chip cookies that way too sweet, like they accidentally used twice as much sugar? And left out the butter?
Are you tired of chocolate chip cookies where the chocolate chips taste more like chalk than chocolate?
Well preheat your oven to delicious and stop the insanity.
Step One: Go and get yourself some Guittard chocolate chips. According to America's Test Kitchen (and I agree with this assessment), they are the best around. Better than Ghirardelli, and about a million times better than that Tollhouse crap you probably have in your cabinet. The milk chocolate variety are usually preferred for cookies, but I also recommend the semi-sweet for chocolate covered strawberries (which you may agree with if you're lucky enough to have sampled mine), or just snacking on.
Step Two is to follow Alton Brown's recipe for Chewy chocolate chip cookies. It available on FoodTV, but I'll repost here in case that is only temporary.
The Chewy Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Three Chips for Sister Marsha
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
posted by Paul at
3:44 PM
4 Comments:
These cookies are soooooo good. Consider this my endorcement. I think i will try whipping up a batch this weekend.
Where do i get the good chocolate chips?
-Erin
By
Anonymous, at 1:25 PM
I imagine most grocery stores have them (in the baking aisle), though I can only attest to having seen them at QFC. I have bought them at Bartell because they are often on sale, 2 for $3. I think they are close to $3 a bag at QFC.
By
Paul, at 2:26 PM
How do you feel abuot the butter vs margerine vs crisco issue for baking? this is important as i plan to make these cookies this weekend.
By
Anonymous, at 2:59 PM
I recommend unsalted butter. Margarine is a less-preferable but acceptable replacement if you're looking for a healthier option, since it is made from vegetable oil which has less saturated fat. Only use margarine in stick form though (same goes for butter), since whipped forms have extra air introduced. And don't be fooled by margarine-like spreads which aren't really margarine. Also, Margarine is probably not as flavorful as butter.
Crisco is scary and I would only use it if a recipe called for it.
In Summary, Chez Paul recommends unsalted butter.
By
Paul, at 3:05 PM
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