I’m sure there are people who don’t like chocolate chip cookies – it’s just that none of those people are in my family. By popular demand, when I bake cookies, about half the time it’ll be chocolate chip. We’ve become quite picky about our cookies, and these are perfect chocolate chip cookies.
Sometimes I’ll haul out the stand mixer and make a big batch of cookie dough. I’ll freeze unbaked blobs to bake off later. That’s not what I’ve done here, but please understand that you can certainly do that! When I use the big mixer, I’ll double the recipe.
What makes these cookies so perfect? For one, it’s being able to mix them by hand: very little fuss and easy cleanup. Then there’s the taste: I use bittersweet chocolate chips that are 60% cacao; combined with the caramel notes of the cookie batter, the taste is sublime. And though you might think it odd, the small batch is part of this cookie’s perfection: there are never enough to go stale, but always enough to enjoy with friends. A small batch means they mix easily, cook quickly, and are ready to eat very soon.
These perfect chocolate chip cookies are an anytime, no mixer needed, stir it up quickly kind of bake. I can have a small batch – just a couple dozen or so – ready to eat within 45 minutes. They’re always fresh, always great, and they’ve become the family standard chocolate chip cookie. I think you’ll like them too.
A note on cookie production: I like to use a Norpro 1 Tbsp cookie scoop, which makes the cookies a uniform size. It’s also so much easier to scoop the dough!
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1½ sticks)
- 1 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 ounces chocolate chips (I prefer Ghiradelli bittersweet)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 325˚F and adjust oven rack to center position. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter (I tend to use the microwave on very low power, but if you like, melt the butter in a small pan and pour it into the bowl.)
- Add both brown and white sugar to the melted butter, and mix until thoroughly blended.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Finally, add in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips, and stir until the flour is completely incorporated and there are no white streaks.
- Drop by tablespoons (I use a Norpro 1 Tbsp scoop) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, 15-18 minutes, until the edges are delicately browned. Transfer parchment with the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.