Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lately, my motto has been to try and be a "chocolate chip cookie." I know this sounds crazy, but cookies are warm, sweet, comforting and make you feel all good inside. I want to be the kind of person that emulates those things toward others (kind, warm & gentle). Lately I've been more of a lemon (having a sour, negative attitude) so I'm really trying to work on that. Everything with me relates back to food, so I felt like God gave me this easy metaphor to remind myself throughout the day to be a cookie & not a lemon. That's my thought for the day...now onto the cookies!!

These cookies have been floating around the blogosphere for quite some time, but I am just now getting around to making them. These are everything the name says...thick & chewy...but the name should also say delicious! They have a nice hint of vanilla that really comes through the cookie and makes it so scrumptious. This is a great go-to cookie and the technique of the way you pull the dough balls apart and place them right side up really makes a difference and gives them a great look too! I actually made the full batch of dough, but then I baked half and put half of the dough balls in the freezer to pull out next time I need to take a batch of cookies somewhere. I'll put the directions for freezing below as well. I think these are best served warmed with a glass of milk. Have a great day & take time to enjoy a cookie or two! (Oh & I updated my Contact Me tab at the top of the page if you want to check it out).

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Brown Eyed Baker, originally Baking Illustrated

Makes approximately 28 small or 18 large cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons 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 light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare two baking sheets by covering with parchment paper, set aside.

Melt butter in a microwave safe container and let set until cooled to warm.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, baking soda & salt, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, sugar & brown sugar until fully combined.

Mix in egg, yolk & vanilla, one at a time until each is incorporated. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Remove bowl from stand mixer and stir in chocolate chips.

Measure out 1/4 cup of dough and roll into a ball for smaller cookies (Can use a 1/2 cup for larger cookies). Holding the dough ball with two hands, pull dough ball apart into two equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees, with jagged edges facing up and place each half on the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake approximately 17 minutes (rotating baking sheets halfway through baking) until cookies are light golden brown and edges begin to harden but centers are somewhat soft. Let cookies cool on baking sheet until set, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

*To Freeze Dough Balls: After you roll dough into balls and tear them in half place the dough balls onto a baking sheet and place them in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes. Remove dough balls from cookie sheet and place in a freezer bag and return them to the freezer. Pull out as many dough balls as you need from the freezer and place onto a prepared baking sheet, then place directly into the preheated oven and follow the baking directions above. (may need to bake a little longer since frozen, watch closely).