After spending 25 years working in the Nestlé Test Kitchens, one could say I’ve learned a thing or two about chocolate chip cookies. I’ve tested and eaten more cookies than I care to admit! Ruth Wakefield was really on to something when she created the Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe back in 1939! To this day, the classic recipe is still my favorite. Having said that, I have modified the recipe ever so slightly to my liking.
Here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way:
– Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
– Before making the dough, all ingredients should be at room temperature.
– Use unsalted butter. Not only does it taste better, but it’s fresher. Salt is used as a preservative, so my preference is to use unsalted butter and then add high-quality salt, like kosher or fine sea salt.
-Spoon flour into a measuring cup and then use the back of a knife to level off the excess. If you scoop the flour directly from the bag, you will likely get far too much flour, resulting in dry cookies.
– Chill the dough. As the dough chills, the sugar in the dough absorbs the moisture from the flour, causing the cookie to brown and caramelize. Chilling the dough also helps keep the cookies from spreading too much as they bake.
– To make your cookies look extra pretty, reserve about a handful of chocolate chips to use after you’ve scooped your dough. Press a few chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball prior to baking.
– Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to line the baking sheets. I’ve found cookies to bake more evenly this way. As well, minimal cleanup!
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies
2 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
Flake sea salt
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl for several minutes or until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Cover dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop dough into balls using a small cookie scoop (about a heaping tablespoon) and drop onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack; sprinkle the tops of cookies with a little flake sea salt. Cool for 2 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
