Photo by Jennifer Davis
Jen:
Chocolate chip cookies are one of the best inventions ever. Whoever invented them was a genius. I mean, can you imagine when they first came out? I bet the women were all, "Have you tried those new cookie things? They're all the rage!"
Jon:
Yeah, but why are they called Cookies?
Jen:
Well, they're cooked and they're small, so they're cook-ies.
Jon:
Nah, I bet the first person who made them called them sweet flats. Sweet flats with chocolate chips. Cause they're sweet, and flat, and have chocolate chips.
To learn more about the history of America's favorite cookie, read
this.
I recommend the recipe posted on the Best Choice packaging as the best chocolate chip cookie recipe around.
Best Choice Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. In another large bowl beat sugars and butter until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs until smooth. Gradually add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto greased baking sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.
Tips for the perfect batch:
1. Soft butter. I've learned through trial and error, and by reading my Betty Crocker cookbook, that the consistency of the butter has a lot to do with how the cookies turn out. If you're really on top of things, you could let your butter soften to room temperature naturally, but I'm never that prepared. I microwave the sticks on the defrost setting watching for when they're soft to the touch but not melting. This will make your cookies nice and fluffy! {too-melted butter makes your cookies flatten when baked}
2. Mix Well. Mixing each part well is key. It's very important to cream the butter and sugar, then the vanilla and egg before adding the dry ingredients!
3. Don't over-bake. My husband has taught me, the trick to perfectly soft cookies is not to over bake them. {duh} If you think they're not quite done yet, then they're probably perfect. You want them just starting to brown on top. This makes for wonderfully soft cookies for days!
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Okay, now for the important stuff.
Do you eat the dough?
I'm a sucker for cookie dough, and can't help myself. I say it's one of the simple pleasures of life. Jon, not so much. I say, totally worth the risk of eating raw egg! {I'm sure the first time I get sick from it, I'll be whistling a different tune.}
