Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello All!
       I hope you are having an awesome Sunday. Here in Arizona it is a bit windy and cool but I love it. I am not looking forward to the summer heat and feeling like I am baking in an oven. You soon realize days like these are not to be taken for granted because before you know it, 110 will be upon you. Days like these are perfect to spend either snuggled up with a loved one or if you like me, playing in the kitchen.
      There is nothing better than the smell of cookies baking in the oven. The aroma permeates the house and even the most jaded person can't help smiling. The scent of vanilla and chocolate together evokes feelings of tranquility. Well, at least in me it does. As you know the kitchen is my happy place, my personal playground if you will. In there, I feel like anything is possible. Feeling down, make a sweet treat, if you are cold, make something spicy to warm you from within. Maybe you are homesick, you can make a favorite childhood dish and transport yourself back in time and place. Let's face it, food is love or it can at least make you feel loved. I know I am always touched when someone thinks enough of me to make a special treat. I also love spoiling people with things I make in the kitchen. Their smiles are thanks enough. Someday I want to have my own little bakery slash bookstore.  I picture it as a place where you can sit and relax with a good book while enjoying a sweet confection. Once again, I digress. Back to the cookies.
      I am always on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. While these are very good, I still think they can be better. Like they say, there is always room for improvement. These cookies are very easy to make and not super time consuming. In the recipe it does not say to chill the dough but I implore you to chill it for at least an hour. This way you minimize the chance of spreading. This dough is also a little on the sticky side so you can find it hard to scoop if you don't chill it.
     I hope I am not alone in loving the smell of fresh baked cookies and you give this recipe a try. On a scale of 1-10, I give it an 8. They were plenty chewy but they were a little thinner than I like. I prefer my cookies to be thick and chewy. I did enjoy the little bit of crunch around the edges and they were still soft the next day after storing them in an air tight container.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Monica Holland

 

Ingredients

1. 2 1/4 c all purpose flour
2. 1 tsp. baking soda 
3. 1 tsp. salt
4. 1 c unsalted butter at room temp.
5. 3/4 c granulated sugar
6. 3/4 c brown sugar
7. 2 L eggs
8. 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
9. 3 c semisweet chocolate chips

 

Directions

 

• Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
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• Cream the butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy.
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• Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well blended. Add the vanilla and mix in.
• Add the flour a little at a time and mix until just blended. Add 2 cups of chocolate chips into the dough and reserve the rest to press into the tops of the cookies if you desire.
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• Chill the dough for about an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375
• Using a scoop, portion out the dough and press additional chips into the top.
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  Bake for 10 -13 minutes or until golden brown.
• Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5- 10 minutes before moving them to a baking rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy.
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      I found baking my cookies for 10 minutes caused my cookies to be a little too brown. I baked them for 9 minutes and 30 seconds and they were perfect. I hope when you bake these cookies they bring a smile to the face of your special someone. Have a good day and I will talk to you soon.