Joy of Cooking Chocolate Chip Cookies

NOTES:

Jeanne likes this version of chocolate chip cookies. There's also another, smaller recipe with a different sort of chocolate chip cookie from America's Test Kitchen ATK Kids.

You can form the dough balls and then freeze them (see #8 below).  Reheat by allowing dough balls to thaw and then use same instructions for freshly made cookie dough.

If using nuts, toasting them before adding to cookie dough tends to heighten their flavor.

Butter must be softened for this recipe.

Liz suggests making a double batch because the single batch is pretty small. Amounts for double batch are in parentheses below.

Using a standing mixer goes much faster than using a handheld mixer or mixing by hand, especially if doubling the recipe.


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup + 2 Tbl flour (2 cups + 4 Tbl)
1/2 tsp baking soda (1 tsp)
1 stick butter, softened (2 sticks)
1/2 cup sugar (1 cup)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (1 cup)
1 egg (2 eggs)
1/4 tsp salt (1/2 tsp)
1-1/2 tsp vanilla (3 tsp)
1 cup semisweet choc chips (2 cups)
(optional) 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (1-1/2 cups)


PREPARATION:

1. Oven to 375, rack in center of oven.  Use parchment paper on cookie sheets or grease them.

2. In medium bowl (large bowl, if doubling recipe), whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In mixing bowl of a standing mixer--or a large mixing bowl if mixing by hand or with handheld blender--cream butter and both sugars until very fluffy and well blended.

4. Add egg, salt, and vanilla and combine well with butter mixture.

5. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended and smooth.

6. Stir in chocolate chips and any nuts.

7. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoonsful onto prepped cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

8. If freezing, place baking sheets in freezer for about 15 min to harden and then move into freezer-proof bags or other container.

9. To bake, bake one cookie sheet at a time at 375 for 8-10 min until cookies are slightly colored on top and rimmed with brown edges.  Rotate the cookies halfway through baking for even browning.

10. Place cookie sheet on rack and let stand until cookies are slightly firm, about 2 min; then move cookies directly to racks to cool completely.