Ultimate Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

I went on a quest for the best chocolate chip cookie. What I learned is that they are not the same, I think my friends might have been borderline sick of chocolate chip cookies by the end but I promise you this is the best one ever.

My criteria was:

1. a soft and chewy center
2. crispy edge
3. big enough for more than two bites
4. enough chocolate chips

Once the quest began, I searched and tried so many different recipes learning more then I probably should know about the ultimate chocolate chip cookie.

There are three major categories for chocolate chip cookies.

1. Thin & Crispy (think Tate’s Bake Shop)
2. Soft & Chewy (think bakery style)
3. Light & Cakey (think Chips Ahoy)

I have officially tasted and made every variation I could find. I now know that I am a bakery style girly. I want a soft, chewy center with a smaller amount of chocolate chips overall and I wanted it to fit in my hand or be about 6 bites.

The truth is brown sugar is the key to this and it is amazing. This is how you get a soft chewy center; white sugar will make a light and cakey style cookie.

You need to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, not milk chocolate the cookies will be far to sweet and sticky.

You absolutely must refrigerate the dough; this is what keeps the cookies from spreading

Let them cool on the baking sheet

As much as I love a bargain, I am sad to report that Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet chocolate chips do make a difference in this recipe in my opinion, I would suggest sticking with them.

I am officially done with my ultimate chocolate chip cookie quest!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) softened salted butter
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 TSP vanilla extract
• 1 TSP baking soda
• ¼ TSP baking powder
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 – 12 oz bag (2 cups) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer mix butter, brown sugar and white sugar
2. Add eggs and vanilla, mix on low again
3. Add baking soda, baking powder and flour, mix until fully incorporated
4. Remove bowl from mixer, add chocolate chips and mix with spatula
5. Using a 3 TBSP cookie scoop roll into balls and place on baking sheet
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or see notes for freezing option
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line baking sheet with parchment paper
8. Place chilled dough balls 2 inches apart and bake for 8-10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 7-9 minutes.
10. Remove from baking sheet and place on a cooling rack.

Notes:

When the cookies are removed from the oven, they will be light in color and get darker as they cool.

The baking sheet needs to be cooled and the cookie dough needs to be chilled before baking

Do not transfer to a cooling rack right away the cookies will fall apart

If freezing the dough, roll into balls and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer the balls to an airtight container or freezer bag.