Recipe(tried): Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

After you make these oversized chewy, gooey chocolate chip cookies you'll never go back to the Tollhouse variety (as good as those may be). The secret lies in the butter -- it's melted instead of creamed and an extra egg yolk is added to the batter.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (more or less..as desired)

Adjust oven racks to upper-and lower-middle positions. Heat oven to 325*F (160*C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips to taste.

Roll scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and with jagged surfaces facing up, join halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth dough's uneven surface. Place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving 2 1/2-inches between each ball.

Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets. When cooled, peel cookies from parchment.
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ABC (Absolute Best Chewy) Chocolate Chippers

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon light cream or whole milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans


1 Position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (Using an oven thermometer will ensure proper baking temperature since ovens vary.) Line cushion-type baking sheets with baking parchment; set aside. (Professional bakeries double their baking sheets and use baking parchment.)

2 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, cream together butter, sugars and vanilla at medium speed until creamy and light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in corn syrup and cream or milk. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture, in 3 separate batches, scraping down bowl after each addition. Mix well to ensure full incorporation of flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) and nuts.

3 For each cookie, using a 1- 3/8 inch spring-loaded scoop (or 1 tablespoon measuring spoon), scoop 2 level spoonfuls of dough and roll into a ball with wet hands. (Dough will be very sticky.

Wetting hands between every 3 rollings of dough will prevent sticking. Simply hold hands under running tap water and shake hands 10 times over sink before handling dough. Don't worry, this will not harm the cookies. I guarantee that this added effort will be worth it for these cookies!)

Arrange at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Cookies will spread a bit during baking.) Flatten each ball of dough slightly with heel of hand or fingers.

4 Bake for 14 minutes or until light golden brown around edges and centers are still a little puffy. (Do not underbake this particular cookie or they will be too soft.) Allow cookies to cool at least 5 minutes while on baking sheets before transferring (with a thin, metal cookie spatula) to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and fresh sheets of baking parchment. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. (These chewy chocolate chip cookies keep better than traditional types.)

5 Note: Professional chefs and pastry chefs use coarse kosher salt and I use it in my everyday cooking and baking. It really does have a better flavor. However, you may substitute 1 teaspoon regular table salt for 1- 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt.

6 To Toast Nuts: Toasting nuts brings out their flavor and makes them crisp. It is easy to do. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place nuts, in a single layer, on an ungreased baking sheet. (I like to use my round non-stick pizza pan because it has a lip on it which prevents the nuts from rolling off.) Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time, or until nuts become fragrant and are lightly browned. (Watch nuts closely to prevent burning.) Cool nuts completely before chopping and adding to recipe. (You can speed up the cooling process by immediately placing hot, toasted nuts onto a plate and place in the freezer for 5 to 8 minutes. Halfway through chilling time, stir the nuts to aid the cooling process.)
Makes 2 1/2 dozen