How to Make the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Holly @ Nut Free Nerd requested a book entitled “How to Make the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies” from Santa Claus. As I am well known among my family and friends for my Chocolate Chip Cookies, I decided to be Santa this year. Holly, this is for you:

The recipe is adapted from the Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips

Notes on Ingredients:

I find that using a combination of butter and margarine makes for a soft, chewy cookie, with crispy edges. Perfection!

I use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, so I don’t bother letting the butter and margarine soften ahead of time. However, if you don’t have a stand mixer, I’d suggest taking the butter and margarine out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start mixing. The softened butter and margarine will be much easier to beat by hand or with a hand mixer.

It’s very important to use the correct type of measuring cup. You’ll want to use a dry measuring cup for your sugars and flour. To measure granulated sugar and all-purpose flour, simply scoop out an overfull cup and scrape off the excess with a knife. For the brown sugar, you’ll need to pack it down into the measuring cup with the back of a spoon (or your clean fingers). When you empty the cup of brown sugar it should all come out in one lump. My kids love that part!

I store baking soda in a resealable plastic container. This prevents it from losing its potency, so you won’t end up with flat cookies.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Beat butter, margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Remember to start your mixer at a slow speed and gradually increase the speed as the ingredients are mixed together. If you start out at a high speed, your ingredients will fly out of the bowl! Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the sugar and butter mixture. Again, just a little at a time, and use a slow speed, unless you want flour everywhere. Stir in chocolate chips, by hand. Using two regular spoons (the kind you use for eating cereal), scoop a spoonful of dough with one spoon and use the back of the other spoon to push the dough off onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Space your dough at least 2 inches apart. I like to store my bowl of cookie dough in the fridge while each batch is baking. This prevents the later batches from being too soft and spreading too much.

Bake on the center rack for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Holly, I don’t know how much you and my other readers know about baking, so I’ve tried to explain everything fully, like I do with my kids when I’m teaching them to bake. Hopefully, it reads as instructive, and not condescending. 😉