(or my mini-epistle on cc cookie making and baking)
-Only use butter. Unsalted is best. The butter should be more firm than room temperature butter. I take it straight out of the fridge, and microwave it for about 8 seconds.
-*Our altitude is about 4,400 ft. So, I use about2 3/4 cups flour total. The original Toll House recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups. If you are at sea level, you will probably need less flour than the 2 3/4 cup.
-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.
-Don't sift the flour.
-There is usually a notable difference between using a convection and a standard oven. 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 think two of the biggest mistakes made while baking cookies are: 1-Over mixing. This will cause the batter have too much air incorporated, producing a fluffy, instead of a chewy cookie. 2-Over baking. Under baking is good! Not under baked to the point the cookie is wet and doughy, but just until the top sets, and the dough looks like it has a bit of a crust.
-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 called Maxi Chips and are sold in a silver colored bag.
-If the cookie spreads too much, or the edges are not even, I take a small spatula and push the edges inward to create a cookie that is round. This has to be done immediately after removing from the oven.
-I purchase Peter's Caramel, a dipping and cooking caramel sold in a 5 lb block. You may also use other brands of caramel. I do not recommend using caramel sauce, the cookies will not set up properly. Readers have also reported that Kraft caramels do not work in this recipe. The caramel softens while cooking, but does not soften enough to spread, and then hardens too much after cooling. Peters Caramel runs about $27 per 5 lb block, but does not dry out, even in my desert climate if stored wrapped in a ziplock bag or with plastic wrap covering opened end. Mine has stayed fresh for a year in my pantry. I also use it for my Caramel Apple White Chocolate Cookies.
-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. --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. To yield 18 cookies use a 2 1/4 inch scoop.