The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

I don't understand people who prefer crispy cookies.  

The word combination in itself just sounds wrong to me.  Crispy cookies.  No.  No no no.

In short, might I warn you that if I ever post a cookie recipe, and you are a "crispy cookie person", then my recipe is not for you.  Doesn't matter what cookie it is.  I like 'em soft.  Snickerdoodles, sugar cookies, peanut butter...Soft, soft, soft.  Like pillows of ommy nommy goodness.

These chocolate chip cookies are absolutely amazing.  I don't even know where the recipe came from anymore...But they have been my standard recipe for a while.  There is a secret ingredient that sounds a little weird at first but please trust me.  You won't be disappointed.  

You will need:

3/4 cup softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp. Cornstarch (TRUST ME!)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar.

I'm going to add a little tutorial for creaming butter and sugar.  I don't know if it's common knowledge, but I know for the longest time, I just mixed my butter and sugar together.  My cookies used to be too flat.  This is why.  

Start out with just your butter in the mixer.  It must be soft.  If you're impatient like me, you get the notion to do something and you want to do it RIGHT THEN.  Or else you lose motivation and those cookies that you promised your husband never happen.  No time for taking butter out and waiting an hour and a half for it to soften.  So I do this:

It only takes about 15 minutes this way.  SO anyway, you start out with just the butter.  Beat it on medium speed with the paddle attachment for about 1minute and a half.  It'll look soft and moist:

Then you add your sugar.  In this case, you've got 2 kinds of sugar.  I alternate between the 2 types.  I don't know if that's necessary, but that's just how I roll.  Once all your sugar is incorporated, beat it on medium for 6-7 minutes.  Yup, SIX OR SEVEN MINUTES.  Scrape the bowl periodically.  Eventually it'll look light and pillowy, kind of like frosting:

And voila.  Your sugars and butter are creamed.  This allows all of the wet and dry ingredients to incorporate together more thoroughly.  It makes a difference.

Now you add your egg and vanilla.  If you like vanilla-y cookies, go ahead and do 2 teaspoons.  I do.  But not everyone likes it that way.  Buncha crazies.  Stir in the egg and vanilla until JUST INCORPORATED.  Don't over mix at this point.  You will get stiff dough that doesn't bake down.  Not that that has ever happened to me.......

Moving on.

Combine your dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, and stir in gradually.  Splash guard may come in handy.  Keep this on a low speed and, again, don't over mix.

Add your chocolate chips.

Om nom nom.

Cookie dough.

DON'T EAT THIS RAW.

Eggs, bad.

Ok, eat it raw.  I totally do.  And I have never regretted it :]

Amber Nora likes to help me bake already.  She helps by contentedly sitting in her bouncy and watching the mixer go around and around.  A not-fussy 5-month-old is a truly helpful thing.

Now it's confession time.  I do not own a cookie scoop.  It's one of those things where I don't think of needing it until I'm actually baking cookies, and then we get back to the whole "Have to do it now or I never will" thing.  So, I have this tablespoon that's perfectly round.

I use that.  And it works just fine.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

And bake for about 8 minutes.

Now, listen to me.  Come VERY close.  Closer.  Closer.

DON'T BE TEMPTED TO BAKE THESE FOR LONGER THAN 8 MINUTES.  9 tops.

These cookies may not look done yet.  But please.  Please, just trust me.  In my opinion, the #1 cookie mistake on the planet is opening the oven and thinking "These don't look done.  Just 2 more minutes".

Cookies keep on baking themselves even after you take them out.  They aren't dough.  They won't give you salmonella, or whatever it is raw eggs give you...Although I believe that we have already established that I laugh in the face of salmonella.  Still.  THEY WILL BE DONE AT 8 MINUTES.  To be certain, look at the bottom.  If the bottom is a very light golden brown, they are done.  The bottom is the best indicator.

Cool them on some wax paper, or a cooling rack.

And enjoy!

Ommy nommy nom nom :]

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. Cornstarch 
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cream butter and sugars
3. Add egg and vanilla, stir until just incorporated
4. Combine all dry ingredients, then slowly stir into butter mixture
5. Add chocolate chips
6. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet
7. Bake for 8-9 minutes.  Do not overbake!
8. Let cool and eat up :]