The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
Hello, dear and patient readers! I’ve long promised to post my version of The Perfect Chocolate chip cookie, and today’s the day. (If you’d like to read the beginning of the journey, click here.)
There are many reasons why I’ve been dragging my feet to do this post. The biggest reason is that creating the ideal recipe for such an iconic cookie is not easy–a mere 1/4 tsp. of leavening makes a world of difference. There’s a lot to live up to when one decides to set out and make the “best” version of anything.
(And also, it took me awhile to eat the approximately 140 cookies I’ve baked in recent weeks, though some of my cookie-loving friends have been a wonderful help with that!)
My version of the Perfect Chocolate Chip cookie starts out with a lot of butter, and a lot of brown sugar for that deep, caramel-like flavor. There’s bread flour too, for a bit of chew. There’s a lot of bittersweet chocolate. A touch of demerara sugar and vanilla salt sprinkled over top for a salty crunch. A soft, yielding middle. A golden brown bottom. A bit of crispness to the edge.
I hope you like these as much as I do.
My Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie makes 34-36 3″ cookies 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup demerara sugar (no demerara sugar? I’ve also tested this recipe with light brown sugar, and it’s perfectly wonderful) 1 3/4 cups packed, dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup + 1 tbsp bread flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder* 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (not table salt!), plus either fleur de sel or vanilla salt for sprinkling over top18 oz. 70% bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped**
*I have also tried this recipe without baking powder, and with 1/2 tsp. baking powder. They are great either way. If you like flatter, slightly richer-tasting cookies, omit the baking powder. If you like puffier, thicker cookies, use 1/2 tsp. baking powder. The version you see in the photo above contain 1/2 tsp. baking powder. Want the best of both worlds? I split the difference and use 1/4 tsp.
**If price is no object, I adore the large El Rey chips. But an entire block of Trader Joe’s “Pound Plus” 70% bar is about $4 for 18 oz., and is what I use for everyday cookies.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition.
2. Add the vanilla extract, the flours, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, beat the mixture until the dry ingredients are well-incorporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a Silpat. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it until it forms a sphere between your palms. Place the dough on the baking sheet (8 cookies per sheet), giving them room to spread. Dust the tops of each ball of dough with a little demerara sugar, and a tiny bit of fleur de sel or vanilla salt.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven on the middle rack for 12-13 minutes. (Do not bake these on the bottom rack in the oven–the high proportion of brown sugar will cause the bottoms to darken too much.) At this time, the cookies should have taken on a golden brown color all around the edge, but still look very soft in the center–like hot cookie dough. Remove the tray from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool directly on the tray for 10 minutes before eating.
Posted: November 22nd, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Tags: baking, holiday, Perfect Chocolate Chip cookie, quick and easy
Comments
Comment from Hannah
Time November 22, 2009 at 5:58 PM
I will be trying this out, and very soon! I’m on a cookie mission.
Comment from Sarah
Time November 22, 2009 at 7:43 PM
They sound sublime! I love it when anyone goes on a cookie mission. I made the Cook’s Illustrated version of the Perfect Chocolate Chip cookie not long ago. Looking forward to trying yours out also!
http://notjustdessert.blogspot.com/2009/04/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookie.html
Comment from Rosa
Time November 22, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Those cookies look incredibly good!
Cheers,
Rosa
Comment from Michael
Time November 23, 2009 at 12:29 AM
love your blog (^-^)
check out my food blog and tell me what you think:
http://thegodscake.wordpress.com
Michael
Comment from Becky Selengut
Time November 23, 2009 at 4:10 PM
I can personally vouch for the quality of (wipes crumbs from mouth) these cookies, as I’ve personally sacrificed myself by being of the tasters. My question to Lorna is, why do you only hand them out in stingy 6 cookie portions?
Comment from Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite
Time November 23, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Thanks for posting this – am always on the hunt for the “perfect” choc chip cookie recipe!
Comment from hungrygrrl
Time November 24, 2009 at 7:29 AM
they look awesome and so with you about el rey chips.
So what’s the purpose of the bread flour? Does it increase cakiness?
-sara
Comment from lorna
Time November 24, 2009 at 9:28 AM
It says in the post the bread flour (higher gluten) is for a bit of chew. =)
Comment from Lourdes
Time November 24, 2009 at 2:37 PM
I am SO going to try these – if they taste half as good as they look, I am going to be in heaven. Gorgeous photos!
Comment from Janna
Time November 26, 2009 at 2:24 PM
This is what I’m missing at the cookie Smackdown?! Damn it.
May these take the cake.
Comment from Caitlin
Time November 27, 2009 at 10:04 AM
After making these, I have only two words – holy yum! I did make them a bit smaller, more like half the size, baking them for 11 min. One note though – it was much easier to get them off the sheet intact if I let them sit for a minute or so. Really really really good cookies!
Comment from lorna
Time November 27, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Caitlin: So glad you like them! Yes, I let them cool directly on the tray for 10 minutes before removing them. Cookie Smackdown is this Sunday…I think I’m ready!
Comment from Erin E.
Time December 7, 2009 at 3:27 PM
Lorna, I made these a few nights ago and I’m shocked we still have some left (it helps that I hid them in the refrigerator). They are AMAZING! They’d probably be even better if I had the right chocolate and the bread flour….but even without, so good – thanks!
Pingback from The Cult of the Cupcake
Time December 8, 2009 at 11:19 AM
[...] all the cupcakes and lots of samples of perhaps the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten, my sweet tooth is more than [...]
Comment from heather
Time December 20, 2009 at 5:44 PM
first time visitor… visitor for good after this post! so excited to try this recipe. soon!!
cheers,
*heather*
Comment from Cathryn
Time January 7, 2010 at 12:28 PM
I gave these in the oven as we speak. Did you chill the dough? My first sheet is unchilled, si I’ll see how they turn out.
Comment from lorna
Time January 7, 2010 at 12:44 PM
Cathryn, I’ve made them without chilling the dough, chilling the dough, and direct-from-freezer dough. Everything works beautifully. The freezer dough (after a few days) seems to make the cookies rise less, which might have to do with the leavening losing its potency.
Pingback from Having waited for Delancey…
Time February 8, 2010 at 8:22 AM
[...] some of the chocolate chip cookie in front of me, I realized that my joy in eating it (I prefer this type of chocolate chip cookie more) stemmed from a desire for some missing fat. For that reason, I craved the cookie to a point [...]
Pingback from Cookie Lovers Paradise: Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with a hint of Vanilla Bean Salt « The Alchemist
Time April 21, 2010 at 10:17 AM
[...] Recipe adapted from The Cookbook Chronicles [...]
Comment from Adriana from Bittersweet Baker
Time April 24, 2010 at 9:23 AM
Oh. My. Goodness. These are the best cc cookies ever!
I’ve been on a quest to find a recipe that I would love, and these are absolutely perfect. They’re really chewy, they’re crispy at the edges, and they taste of butterscotch. They are sooo good!
I was really frustrated because my other recipe was giving me thick, cakey cookies, and I didn’t know what to do. When I read that you tried the cookies with no baking powder, I knew that that was the problem with my cakey cookies. Too much baking powder. I tried these with and 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder, and they were crackly and chewy. Thank you so much for all the time you put in to finding that perfect recipe!
Adriana
Comment from lorna
Time April 24, 2010 at 10:14 AM
Hi Adriana, Thanks so much! Glad you like the recipe. You have a great blog. Now you can cross off “Perfect Chocolate Chip cookie” off your list of goals. 
Psst….brownie recipes are always WAY too sweet for me, except for the Triple Chocolate Fudge brownies I included in my cookbook. It’s the only brownie recipe I really love.
http://www.amazon.com/Newlywed-Kitchen-Delicious-Couples-Together/dp/1570616329
Comment from Adriana
Time May 13, 2010 at 6:07 AM
Hi Lorna,
Thank you so much!
I haven’t checked back, so I didn’t realize that you replied. I just crossed off “The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie” from my list. (I forget to cross things off until much later)! Also, thank you so much for the link to your cookbook. Once I get hold of it, I will definitely try it!
Adriana
Comment from Meg
Time November 22, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Cannot WAIT to try it.