Chocolate Chip Cookie Perfection

Warning! This blog post contains gluten. My apologies.

I've made a lot of cookies over the years.

I mean a lot, a lot.

From after school snacks for the kiddos to fundraising cookie sales.

Did I mention I've made a LOT of cookies??

For a few years I even ran a small business selling my cookies.

Yep, a LOT of cookies!

I've often been asked if I would be willing to share my secret chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Well, there is no secret chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have always honestly shared that I use Nestle Tollhouse morsels, and I have always used the Nestle Toll House recipe. 

It has always surprised me when I receive a look of shock at this news and hear, "Mine don't turn out that way!"

So my friends, I'm going to share with you my tips for making the perfect Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies.*

Nestle Toll House recipe

21/4 cup Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs (I always, ALWAYS, use jumbo size eggs!)
2 cups Toll House semi sweet morsels (I always, ALWAYS! Use 2 cups of chocolate chips! I never, NEVER, use just the 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips! I always use 2 heaping cups of chocolate chips!)
1 large portion of love! (my girls like this part the best!)

The recipe calls for softened butter. Do not allow the butter to get too soft.

When the butter gives slightly, it is soft. In moderate temps, it only takes about 20 minutes for butter to be softened once removed from the fridge. If the temps are high, and humidity is high you want to watch that the butter does not get too soft. If the butter happens to get too soft, say because you get distracted by your children or The Ellen show (could happen), set the butter in the fridge to firm up slightly. 

Cut the butter into chunks and place in mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda.

I have found that my cookies will turn out with less than desirable results if I use any flour other than Pillsbury flour. I will always, ALWAYS, use Pillsbury flour to make cookies! I highly recommend you do the same.

Pack the flour into the measuring cup. Yes, that's right, I pack my flour.

You're thinking...WHAT??

Do it.

I'm just saying'.

Scoop the measuring cups to overflowing, gently press the flour into the measuring cup, and scrape flat.

When placed into the bowl the flour will hold the shape of the measuring cup.

Trust me! This is especially important when the weather is humid!

Add to the flour the salt and baking soda.

Stir to combine.

In the mixing bowl, add to the butter the granulated and brown sugars.

Mix until combined.

It will look like this.

Add in vanilla and jumbo eggs. Mix well.

Once eggs and vanilla are mixed in, slowly add in the flour mixture one large spoonful at a time, scraping sides of the bowl as needed.

Once all of the flour has been added the dough will look like this.

The dough will be stiff. You will likely need to stir in the last of the flour by hand.

Once the flour is completely incorporated, add in the chocolate chips, 1 heaping cup at a time.

I use my mixer.

OH YEAH!!

Drop dough in spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.

I highly recommend using dark, nonstick, jellyroll pans for baking your cookies. Mine are Target, CHEFS brand. My baking pans are getting old, but they still make the best cookies. Trust me! The kind of pan you use can alter the way your cookies bake.

If you find that the cookie dough is a little too soft, and sticky, place the pan of unbaked cookie dough drops into the fridge to chill for a few minutes.

Place the pans of cookie dough drops into a preheated 375˚ oven. Bake for 81/2 minutes. Yes, only 81/2 minutes! Check the cookies after 81/2 minutes. If they have slightly golden tops they are done! If the tops are not yet golden, bake for 30 seconds longer.

Immediately, and very gently remove cookies from baking pan. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Perfect!!

And there my friends is the love!

It doesn't get any better than that!

Unless you add ice cream!

Perfection kicked up a notch!! 

I think you just drooled a little. No worries! I completely understand!!

Christine

 * The views and opinions expressed in this blog post as to what is the perfect chocolate chip cookie are the views and opinions of the blogger only and may not be the views and opinions of anyone else.