Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

If there is a perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, this one may be it. It comes from America’s Test Kitchen so you know it’s going to be delicious and the recipe isn’t as fussy as many of the other “best” chocolate chip cookie recipes. You don’t have to use a mixer, worry about softening your butter, or refrigerate the dough for two days before baking.

This is a chewy chocolate chip cookie with crispy edges. It’s not doughy or undercooked like a Mrs. Fields cookie because you let the cookies cool completely on the cookie tray. It has a richer flavor because you brown the butter before adding the other ingredients. My daughter loved them and asked if I added caramel to the cookies.

Last week I stopped by the delicious Sugar and Spice and All Things Iced. BreAna’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies looked irresistible and I thought they would be the perfect addition to my 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. The recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated and BreAna posted links to several other bloggers who also loved this cookie, as well as a link to a nice video of the America’s Test Kitchen episode at Serious Eats.

My daughter wasn’t the only one who loved these cookies. We all devoured them. I made a few changes to accommodate my high altitude (about 4,000 feet). My adapted recipe is below. Let me know if you try them and think they’re perfect too!

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Yield: 2 and a half dozen

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon (9 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda (in other words 1/2 teaspoon minus 1/8 teaspoon)
• 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup minus 2 tablespoon (3 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (5.2 ounces) packed dark brown sugar (I used light brown)
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 11/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)(I omitted)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375º. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
3. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring pan constantly until butter is golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Remove skillet from heat and pour browned butter in to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted. Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated.
5. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny.
6. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
7. Use a #40 cookie scoop, or about 1 1/2 tablespoons dough, drop dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 8-12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely on the tray for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

adapted for high altitude baking from Cook’s Illustrated May/June 2009

Fairy Hobmother Giveaway:

I was recently visited by The Fairy Hobmother, Ian from Appliances Online. (They are currently promoting the Bosch Logixx range of appliances.) The Fairy Hobmother brought me a $50 Amazon gift certificate and he can bring you one too!

Just leave a comment on this post for a chance to be visited by the Fairy Hobmother. He found me when I commented on my sweet blogging friend and fabulous cook Megan’s Cookin’s Caprese Quinoa Salad post. Thanks Megan and Ian!

Be sure and check out all of the fabulous cookies the other 12 weeks of Christmas Cookies (and sweets) bakers baked up for this week.