The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

I LOVE baking cookies. Every year, from Fall through Winter, I bake an enormous amount of cookies, mainly just for all of the cookie monsters in my home (AKA my husband and kids).
We do, however, find it in our hearts to share a few cookies with family and friends during the holidays.

While cookie baking is not complicated, finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie has been a challenge, and it took me years to find the "perfect" recipe for chocolate chip cookies. They were all either too thick, thin, dry, greasy, hard or just didn't hold together at all.

To me, the perfect chocolate chip cookie has the right balance of chocolate and cookie, and just the right texture which is a crisp but not hard exterior and a soft gooey, center. Not too thick, not too thin, something to satisfy all cookie lovers. The recipe below was adapted from the "Neiman Marcus" cookie recipe. It bakes at a lower temperature for a longer period of time than most cookies, which I think is one of the keys to making this cookie so perfect.  

These are best when eaten while still warm. I usually bake 2 dozen at a time and refrigerate (up to 2 days) or freeze the remaining dough for another time.


The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. 

Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and blend for an additional 30 seconds.

In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.  

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time at low speed until flour is completely mixed in with the butter mixture. Add in chocolate chips and stir lightly just until the chips are distributed throughout the dough. 

Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet, 2-3 inches apart. 

Bake for approximately 17 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Bake 1 -2 minutes longer for a crispier cookie, or a 1-2 minutes less for a softer cookie. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 1 minute, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. 

Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.