Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, anyone?

When the weather is snowy and cold outside, it turns on the urge to bake……!

It’s a snow day today with up to 11 inches coming.  Kids are delighted and we are all taking this welcome day to relax.  The snow has changed to sleet and it sounds like rain out there.  What better time is there to make some baked goodness?  I’m sure other ovens are busy heating up goodies everywhere and the urge to bake is going strong today!

A few days ago the hubby spoke of a craving for fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, so I’m delivering today.  I’ve made chocolate chip cookies many different ways, trying many different recipes.  The recipe I’m sharing here is a combination of what I feel has worked best.  It produces a chewy and soft cookie that’s not too sweet, and the cookie doesn’t collapse or go flat when it has cooled on the cookie rack.  That’s what I aim for.  So here we go!  Recipe is at the bottom of this post.

Fellow bakers, you know the drill – you add the butters, sugars and eggs first.  Then you sift the dry ingredients together.  Then you add the dry to the wet.  Lastly the chips are hand-mixed in.

Isn’t that lovely so far?  Now for the shaping and baking.  I use a cookie scoop for dividing and shaping the dough and my recipe produced 4 dozen cookies.  The scoop is about the size of a large tablespoon and when I scoop it out, it’s heaping a bit.

How long to bake?

I have a very old oven (from the 1970’s!) that bakes at a slightly higher temperature.  I mention this because I have become accustomed to shortening my baking time by as much as five minutes, then check if a few minutes more are needed.  With that said, other ovens will take longer than mine – baking at the exact temperature.  Each of my 4 batches took between 10 1/2 to 11 minutes to bake.  I was watching those first two batches like a hawk, with the hubby taste-testing (lucky him).

Also, using my cookie scoop, the amount of dough was about a 1 1/2 heaping tablespoon for each of my cookies.  If you’re using a regular tablespoon, they will be smaller and I suggest allocating 12-14 minutes baking time.  Do watch them and if the undersides of the cookies are looking a bit browner, then they are probably ready.

Get your cup of coffee or tea ready!

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (Makes approximately 4 dozen)

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (or 2 sticks)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Mix butter, oil and sugars until light and fluffy.  No need to wait for the butter to soften, just mix the butter and oil first until they are combined, then add the sugars.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well until combined.
3. Combine all of the dry ingredients – except the chocolate chips.
4. Mix dry ingredients gradually into the wet ingredients 1/2 cup at a time.  Mix until they hold together.
5. Add the chocolate chips and hand mix in with a spatula to evenly distribute into the dough.
6. Use a tablespoon to form the dough balls.  Scoop out a nice heaping amount and form into a ball.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy!
8. Dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Happy Baking!  A yummy winter treat!  I’d love to hear how they turn out for you.