Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Martha Stewart Living magazine. As soon as it arrives in my mailbox each month, I sit down and read it cover to cover, making note of all the recipes I'd like to make someday, and all the good ideas in its pages. Martha and her staff are just so damn perfect, there is always something in there that I just have to make or do or try. Always. (I have tons of ideas, just no staff to make them happen!!)

This month is no exception. Except for the fact that I haven't actually made it past this recipe, on page 68. Number One's been asking for quite a long time when I'd make regular chocolate chip cookies. When I came across this recipe, I knew the time was now. I've had my magazine lying on the counter, open to the Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies page, since yesterday. So I wouldn't forget to make these cookies. Just waiting on the 2 1/2 sticks of frozen butter to thaw and soften.

After the cookies are baked, I feel like I can get on with my life! (and read the rest of the magazine!)

For practical information, I don't have a set of different sized scoops, so I just used soup spoons (you know, the big ones). I did use parchment paper on the baking sheet, because I'm a firm believer in it. It's a pretty straightforward recipe, no special tricks.

And I have two of my ovens going for this endeavor. I would have three ovens going, but there was an incident with the generator, which affected the water supply this morning, so I haven't gotten around to washing the dishes yet, which includes the rest of my baking sheets. So only two ovens at the moment, but at least it cuts the total baking time in half!

The key to a chewy cookie is to take them out of the oven when they don't "look" done--after 14-15 minutes, mine were light and puffy, with just a hint of golden brown around the edges.

After cooling, the cookies sink down, no longer quite as puffy,

and they will stay chewy in the middle.

A big mistake people make is thinking the cookies need to look completely done right out of the oven. They don't--they should actually look slightly raw/uncooked. With cookies, it's better to underbake than overbake. I learned this lesson years and years and years ago when I was a bakery/deli girl in our local grocery store. (you know, the place I also got that perfect recipe for Classic Baked Beans). I guess I learned a lot in that old store.


These cookies are wonderful, crisp and chewy. (in case you had any doubts) I got 30 cookies out of the batch, so mine must be a bit smaller than suggested, but that's okay. They are a bit different from the Tollhouse recipe, but not so much that I can even explain it. Maybe some day we'll do a taste test, I don't know how else we're going to use up the 4 1/2 pound bags of chocolate chips from Costco!


P.S. The other good news? The recipe on the very next page is for a chocolate layer cake--which I've been craving for some time myself!


Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 20

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed dark-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; beat until combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

Using a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop (about 3 tablespoons), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden around edges but soft in the middle, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Make Ahead: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.