Chocolate Chip Cookie Perfection

I realized this week that I’ve never featured a basic chocolate chip cookie.  There have been many cookies, usually with other mix-ins like dried cherries, nuts or espresso powder. But a good-old fashioned chocolate chip cookie, nope.

A co-worker approached me earlier in the week. Many years ago, I made a batch of Martha Stewart chocolate chip cookies. They clearly made an impression on Shirley. She asked if I’d make a batch of these cookies for an upcoming vacation. How could I resist? Particularly after being reintroduced to this classic recipe in Martha’s newest cookbook, Martha’s American Food. It’s an especially beautiful cookbook, broken down by regions of the country. The photographs will make your mouth water. The cookies are found in the first section, the All-American collection.

A few notes about the recipe. These are so simple to put together. Even better, there are none of those fancy-hard-to-find ingredients that Martha is occasionally known for. Use good, pure vanilla extract.  That’s my only demand for your cookies. Recently I found the most incredible cookie baking tip. Don’t you hate it when you bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, but all the chips are hidden inside the baked cookie? From now on, after you’ve scooped your dough, place 3-5 reserved chocolate chips on top of the dough mounds. Voila! Chips on top of your baked cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies – adapted slightly from Martha’s American Food

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, beating until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Reserve the other 1/2 cup for topping the dough balls later.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Top each ball of dough with 3-5 reserved chocolate chips. Bake, rotating sheets half-way through, until cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.