Monday, March 03, 2008

Thank you, Wendy!

Here's to my all-time favorite dessert.
Go ahead, call me boring, but I don't think there is a dessert that can stand up to the tastiness of a chocolate chip cookie with a cold glass of milk. Or, when I'm feeling fancy, a warm cookie with a scoop of ice cream.

Everybody seems to have their favorite recipe and I have found mine. Actually I found it about a year ago, and I have been meaning to share it with you for a while. I like my chocolate chip cookies buttery and chewy, yet crispy on the edges. I am also a firm believer in adding enough chocolate chips to contrast the buttery dough but not overwhelm it. This recipe accomplishes all of that. The only drawback (in some cases, benefit) is that the dough must be refrigerated before baking. Otherwise, with this brown sugar and butter- heavy recipe, the cookies will just spread too much. I am also a fan of freezing the dough in little balls for later use- with this recipe there is no need for defrosting before baking.


I don't know much about high-altitude baking, but if you are high-altitude I think this recipe might need some tweaking.

This recipe is based on a recipe by Wendy Gaynor that was printed in New York Times Magazine. From what I gather, she used to own a bakery called
Ruby et Violette in New York City that is famous for its cookies. It sounds like a fun pit stop for the next trip to NYC to try an exotic cookie flavor or two. But then again, it would be near impossible to beat the classic chocolate chip!

Here she is:

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

8 oz butter, room temperature
1 C brown
sugar
1/2 C white sugar
2 eggs
2 C flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp
baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 C chocolate chips

Cream butter. Add
sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Mix the flour and
baking soda together. Add this to the butter mixture at a low mixer speed until
it is just combined. Add the vanilla extract.

Beat on medium until
blended, then add the chocolate chips and stir them in.

refrigerate until
dough is completely chilled, then drop by teaspoonfuls on an ungreased cookie
sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-11 minutes.

If your dough is spreading too much, try freezing it in little teaspoon-sized balls, between sheets of wax paper, then bake it straight from the freezer.

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5 comments:

eatme_delicious said...

Mmm I am always on the look out for new chocolate chip cookie recipes! These look delicious.

Sara said...

I think I know what I'll be doing this afternoon during nap time!! Those look perfectly delish.

toni said...

nice food photography. i want a cookie.

Brilynn said...

Here's my entry to your contest: Although you may think these are perfect, I assure you, I have a more perfect cookie- the Team Cookie.

Basketball Team Cookies


1 cup peanut butter, (crunchy preferred)

1 cup soft butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup lightly-packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups « quick » rolled oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips


Cream together peanut butter, butter, white and brown sugar and brown sugar. If you don’t use crunchy peanut butter, I would suggest adding in salted peanuts when you mix in the chocolate chips.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Combine oats, flour and baking soda, and stir into peanut butter mixture.

Add chocolate chips. If the dough is still really sticky, add in a little more flour.

Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Place in oven at 325-350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly brown, do NOT overcook these.

Cool on rack. Makes 4 dozen.

Elle said...

This is a comment for the contest :)
In the spirit of mine is better, but not exactly the same, I think that my Chocolate Shortbread Hearts are the best heart cookies around. They were part of my run-up to Valentine's Day last year. The recipe can be found at:http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2007/02/how-do-i-love-thee-little-more-lot.html. These hearts are rich and buttery and chocolate! Maybe that can't compete with Mom's recipe, but at least you get a new recipe this way and it is a fantastic recipe, too!