Dorie Greenspan is a legend in the baking world so when I saw her Baking: From My Heart to Yours on the shelf of my library I couldn't wait to take it home. (Her blog is linked in my Sweet Toothed Blog section.) This was my first of many selections from this book since chocolate chip cookies are one of my brother's favorites and a care package for him was my baking objective. (His opinion has yet to be given since I am still annoyingly waiting for him to return my call.)
Like most bakers I am on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and while this one is very solid, it isn't the BEST for me. The cookies bake up crispy on the edge but chewy in the middles thanks to the high sugar content. The brown sugar gives a nice hint of caramel.
These cookies certainly did not come out looking like the perfect ones in Dorie's cookbook. None of my chocolate chip cookie recipes do, they always have that homemade look. Now they are certainly delicious, but I want it all. I know we teach kids that it is what on the inside that matters but gosh darn it I want the outside to be pretty too! Judge all you want but I am honest, haha.
Now that I have gotten that off my chest I can tell you my sister, who is a tough nut to crack, gave these an 8 out of 10. This is high praise from her. They disappeared pretty quickly from my house. Here is the adapted recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (I didn't have either and that worked fine too).
Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
Beat the butter at medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth in a large bowl. Add the sugars and beat for about 2 minutes, until well-blended. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is blended. Using a a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and nuts.
Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between rounds
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point for 10-12 minutes, or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center. They may seem under baked in the middle but that is perfect. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute and then carefully remove and place on wire racks. I dare you not to eat them now, haha.
Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.
(The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen.)
Makes about 45 cookies.
