The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have to start this post by saying I’ve had A LOT of experience with chocolate chip cookies.  Lots of experience making them and probably a lot more experience eating them!

DOES THE WORLD REALLY NEED ANOTHER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE?

Ummm, yes it does!  It needs THIS one  -My Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies… So here I am, sharing yet ANOTHER chocolate chip cookie recipe.  There’s SO MANY recipes out there in the world, but this is the ONE that I’ve tweaked and tweaked until it’s perfect.  And believe me, it’s perfectly chewy, deliciously gooey, a little bit crispy and just freaking amazing!

GROWING UP ON COOKIE DOUGH…

My Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies are a staple in our house.  My 4 boys have always enjoyed a constant supply of delicious, warm, gooey cookies to come home to.  They have helped me make them for years and they’ve been good enough to help me clean up as well (ok, they scrape the bowl).  Whenever they hear the mixer going, they come into the kitchen, spoon in hand, waiting to dive in for some of that delicious cookie dough.  I doubt that I’ve ever actually made a full batch, as a certain percentage is always taken out on those spoons!

I’M SHARING MY SECRET RECIPE

Just like my White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies this is a recipe I’ve been making for years.  Some people don’t want me to share it (one particular son is quite protective of my cookie recipe!), but I’m dishing out all the info now.  I’m even going to share a few tips and tricks for getting the most perfect balance of chewy, crispy, gooey and delicious!

USING MELTED BUTTER MEANS NO WAITING FOR THE BUTTER TO SOFTEN

My recipe calls for melted butter -I actually prefer this, as I often like to make my cookies on a whim.  Melting the butter means I don’t need to wait.  However, when mixing the ingredients, I let them mix for about 10 minutes, making everything nice and light.

DON’T OVER MIX THE DOUGH!

When I add the flour, I mix it in on low until it’s ALMOST combined, then I add the chocolate chips and combine them by hand -this avoids over mixing the dough, which can result in a heavy cookie.

I use top quality ingredients like Callebaut Chocolate, free range eggs (always!) and Nielsen-Massey Vanilla.

THE SCOOP ON THE PERFECT COOKIE -MY TIPS AND TRICKS

To scoop out my cookie dough, I use a large ice cream scoop -this makes The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies the same size and keeps them nice and round.  However, if the cookies loose some shape during baking, you can give them a little nudge back to shape with a silicone spatula (who’s not a little OCD when it comes to perfectly round cookies?).

YOU NEED TO CHILL THAT DOUGH (OR FREEZE SOME FOR LATER!)

Once the cookie dough is scooped out and on a baking sheet, I place it in the fridge for a good 3 hours -it helps to develop all of those lovely flavours and solidifies the butter in the dough.  This also helps to stop the cookies from spreading.  I’ve recently started freezing the cookie dough balls, as my boys are now all over the place with their schedules and I never know who’s going to be home.  So now I freeze the dough and just take out what I need -that way, we always have freshly baked cookies!  And you don’t have to defrost them, just take them out of the freezer while the oven is heating up, then cook them as usual (10 minutes on 165 celsius).  I’ve also been making double batches of my base chocolate chip cookie dough and then halving it, adding different chips/nuts to each half and then freezing for later.  The cookie dough above has hazelnuts added to it.

TO CHILL OR NOT TO CHILL

When I decided to share My Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe with you all, I thought I’d show the differences between methods.  The chilling time and cooking time really does make a big difference to the cookies.  If you want a slightly crispy, super gooey and chewy cookie, stick to that chilling and cooking time!

Check out the different results from the following chilling and cooking times:

THE TRIALS

1. 1. 1. 1. Frozen dough, baked at 165 celsius (fan-forced) for 10 minutes
         2. Refrigerated dough, baked at 165 (fan-forced) for 10 minutes
         3. Refrigerated dough, baked at 180 (convention) for 10 minutes
         4. Frozen dough, baked at 170 (convention) for 12 minutes
         5. Fresh (Non-refrigerated) dough, baked at 175 (fan-forced) for 10 minutes
         6. Frozen dough, baked at 165 (fan-forced) for 15 minutes

RESULTS

1. 1. 1. 1. Resulted in a soft, chewy cookie, with a nice amount of crispiness
         2. Is again a soft, chewy and perfectly crispy cookie, but has a slightly more golden appearance
         3. Is slightly flatter and not as chewy
         4. Not at all crispy and is much flatter
         5. Resulted in a tougher cookie;  not really chewy and much drier than previous cookies
         6. A REALLY crispy (burnt!) cookie, that funnily enough, my husband like best (there’s clearly something wrong with him!)

The best results come from #2:  refrigerating the chocolate chip cookie dough for at least 3 hours, then baking the cookies in a 165 celsius, fan-forced oven for 10 minutes.  Freezing the dough (#1) yielded a similar result, but may need another minute or 2 to achieve the same golden colour. Your results may vary, as not all ovens are the same.  This was tested in a new Miele oven, using the same batch of cookie dough.

So that’s it -pretty simple!

I’m telling you, you are going to LOVE My Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies !  If you follow my tips, you can’t go wrong.  But please don’t tell my youngest son that I gave you the recipe!

And if you do make my cookies, please leave a comment, or share them with me on Instagram!  Tag me #applecakeannie

The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

The most perfectly chewy, crispy, gooey and delicious chocolate chip cookies

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Course Dessert, Snack

Servings 18

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 170 gram Unsalted butter, melted
• 180 gram Light brown sugar
• 120 gram White sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
• 260 gram Plain flour
• 1 tsp Bi carb soda
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 2 cups Dark chocolate chips see notes
• Optional: extra choc chips to push into baked cookies

Instructions

 

• Sift the flour, bi carb soda and salt together. Set aside
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted butter and sugars until well blended
• Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. I beat the mixture on medium-high for a good 10 minutes
• On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until almost combined
• Remove bowl from stand, add the chocolate and chocolate chips, then combine with a wooden spoon or spatula. DO NOT OVERMIX
• Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop out balls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet. They do not need to be separated yet (this will save room in your fridge)
• Refrigerate cookie dough balls for at least 3 hours (or freeze the balls, then place into a snap lock bag, with the date and instructions written on the bag)
• Heat oven to 165° celsius fan-forced
• After at least 3 hours of refrigeration, place chilled cookie dough balls onto a prepared (lined) baking tray, leaving enough room for cookies to spread
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden
• When cooked and lightly golden, remove cookies from oven. While still hot, you can carefully and gently ease the cookies into perfect circles, using a silicone spatula.
• Optional: use the extra chocolate chips to push into the still warm cookies, for extra chocolatey goodness!
• Let cool on tray for 5 minutes, before cooling completely on a cake rack

Notes

Dark Chocolate Chips:  you can swap for any type of chocolate chip, or you can use half chocolate chips and the other half chopped dark chocolate 

Keyword chocolate, cookies

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