I started teaching at the university level in Fall 2007. And, since I had test anxiety as a grad student I wanted to do something kind for students who may need something to help lighten the mood on test day. I made my first batch of cookies for test day. And, the trend continues into 2018. Every first test in every class is calls for cookies. I think I've missed doing it only twice the entire time since 2018 when I've had face-to-face classes. Needless to say, I have literally baked thousands of these cookies.
This is a recipe that my best friend Leatta introduced me to in graduate school. I've tweaked it a little over time, but it's pretty much the perfect, chewy soft chocolate chip cookie. Anywhere I take them, they disappear. I've had students walk out with 5 in their hands and lots of requests for the recipe. So, here it is, in all its freezer-friendly glory. Go make cookies and make everyone around you happy. Oh, and this is the double batch so you can automatically freeze some for gifts or later or just to pop a piece of cookie dough every now and then!
RECIPE
* 3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
* 2 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup light brown sugar
* 1 cup dark brown sugar
* 2 tsp vanilla
* 4 large eggs
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp salt
* 6-7 cups flour
* 1 bag milk chocolate chips
This will make 6 dozen cookies (and probably a few extra honestly). Add sugar to your stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment. Pour melted butter into sugar and put on a low setting to incorporate. Add vanilla and continue mixing. Add eggs and continue mixing on low to medium speed until well incorporated.
Stop the mixer, add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 3 cups of flour and stir on low setting. Check consistency. Add 2 more cups of flour and stir on low. Check consistency again. Continue adding flour until the dough largely separates from side of bowl (see photo). You should be able to roll the dough into a ball without it sticking to your hands.
Add an entire bag (2 cups) of milk chocolate chips and stir on low until well incorporated into the dough.
Move to flat surface and roll into 1 inch balls. If you plan to freeze the dough, put it in gallon freezer storage bags (2). Freeze cookies for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, take them out of the freezer and let thaw one hour.
To bake, preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. You can arrange up to 15 cookies on the sheet. Bake for 4 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake another 4 minutes. You may need to adjust your cook time, based on how brown you like your cookie bottoms. After 1 batch, I generally rotate after 4 minutes and take the cookies out after 3 1/2 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in a tightly closed container.
To keep cookies at their optimal freshness once baked, place a piece of wax paper on top and put in a slice of white bread. Wrap the container tightly in press and seal wrap, making sure all edges are sealed.
Voila, you're done. I take containers of these cookies as gifts to our doctors, dentists, and friends for the holidays. They are easy to fix and no one will ever be disappointed. Well, except for that one student who told me when I first started baking these that they were too chewy and needed more crunch. I still wonder to this day are there really people who like crunchy chocolate chip cookies? If so, maybe we can't be friends, or maybe you just bake yours longer.
Comments