Chocolate chip cookies. I’m sure you’ve heard about them. They’re pretty good. Ok, actually, they’re very good. In my perfect cookie world, homemade chocolate chip cookies should always be soft.

You can then choose to go the chewy or cakey route, as long as they stay soft. Crispy and CCC should not be used in the same sentence, possible not even in the same post. Unless you’re talking about crispy edges… I guess that’s allowed.

Not eating the dough,  probably the hardest part of making these cookies

I’ve accidentally made cakey cookies before and they were pretty good, but I’ve been making mostly chewy versions lately, specifically Martha Stewart’s as seen here. This time I tried a new recipe from Baking Illustrated. It differs from other recipes in melting the butter and using an extra yolk. They also suggest an interesting shaping technique to give the cookies a crinkled look.

Now, I’m sure you’ll want to know which recipe I liked the most. To be honest, I suck at comparisons because I find it hard to remember what the previous recipe tasted like. Sorry :P But these cookies are really good, there’s no questioning that.

These are on the XL size so I was cautious when distributing them  on the sheet

It should also be noted that, as many people says, it’s a great idea to refrigerate your cookie dough before baking. 12 to 36 hours in the fridge are recommended to improve your cookie’s texture and flavor. It’s not specified in this recipe and I know waiting is hard when it comes to eating cookies, but you should try it at least once.

Oh, here’s a final note. I’m sure you saw it coming but… yeah, don’t overbake your cookies. When they come out of the oven the edges should be brownish, but the cookie should still be very soft, especially in the middle. They will continue to cook afterwards.

Cookie wall!!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from Baking Illustrated as seen on Brown Eyed Baker
Yield: about 18 cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chunks)

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325ºF. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.
4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart (I always give them a sprinkle of salt before baking).
5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.