Go Back
+ servings
Print

Tried and True CC Cookies

The last Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe you'll ever need! Make sure to read all of the notes (tips) before making cookies to insure success!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 18 large cookies
Author Si Foster, A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour* make sure to read note below (updated 5/2013)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt I like course salt
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter (not margarine), softened*
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups or 1 12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (same if using regular bake or convection bake)
  2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
  3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
  4. Add eggs, beating well. Stir in flour mixture and chocolate chips all together, taking care to not over mix.
  5. Using a cookie scoop, drop onto ungreased baking sheets. I use a large scoop, and place 6 cookies per baking sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of your hand.
  6. Bake for 7-10 minutes on middle rack until golden brown.
  7. Cool on baking sheets completely.

Recipe Notes

Tips: (or my mini-epistle on cc cookie making & baking)

Updated with more detail, and the amount of flour I always use- 2 3/4 cups. The original recipe said: 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups flour .

-Only use butter. Unsalted is best. The butter should be more firm than room temperature butter. I take it straight out of the refridge, and microwave it for about 18 seconds ** My microwave is kind of whimpy.  Start with about 12 seconds. The butter should not be melty. You should be able to slice the butter easily, or when you push the butter in with your fingers, an indent should be visible, but the butter should not collapse. You can also place the butter out on your kitchen counter for about 30-45 minutes.

-*Our altitude is about 4,400 ft. So, I use about 2 3/4 cups flour total. The original recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups. If you are at sea level, you will may need less flour. All purpose flour, do not use cake flour or bread flour for this recipe. I haven't tried wheat flour. I don't think wheat flour really belongs in cookies... DO NOT sift the flour. 

-Don't over beat the butter sugar mixture, or the batter will become too soft, and your cookies will not be beautiful and puffy. They will resemble pancakes.

-There is a notable difference between using a convection and a standard oven (see pics above).  If you bake at the same temperature, for the same amount of time, the convection cookie will be done, with a beautiful, golden, slightly crispy outer layer. Still soft on the inside. And it will be taller than the cookie baked in a standard oven. Not everyone has a convection oven... if you don't, you can still bake a great cookie using a standard oven.

I believe two of the biggest mistakes made while making/ baking cookies are:

-Over mixing. This will cause the batter have too much air incorporated, producing a fluffy, instead of a chewy cookie.

-Over baking. Under baking is good! Not under baked to the point the cookie is doughy, but just until the top sets, and the dough looks like it has a bit of a crust and is no longer wet looking on top.

-Chocolate chips - For semi sweet, I use Nestle Semi Sweet chips. You can't go wrong here. But for Milk Chocolate, we prefer Guittard. The chips are bigger. I think they are called Maxi Chips.

- High Altitude info: Not recommended-directions on Nestle Choc Chip package for high altitude- I have tried this variation, and don't like the result. The cookies aren't quite sweet enough, and have a crispy more cake like texture. Here are the directions on the package: (again I do NOT recommend using this method, but have printed it here as an FYI) Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

-When the cookies are cooked and removed from oven, if they are misshaped, use a small spatula and push the edges of the cookies in to form a circle. This must be done right when the cookies are taken out of oven.-

-Last tip! Mound the cookie into a ball. I make them about the size of a golf ball. I use a cookie scoop, because it's easier for me. For years, I just used a spoon, and then shaped them by hand. Make sure to flatten the cookie just a bit before baking with the palm of your hand.