Is there anything better than a batch of chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven? Maybe not. Melted chocolate, chewy batter and the smell of warm vanilla, It's no wonder they're so popular. There are thousands upon thousands of recipes so how do you find the best one? Not to worry, we've done it for you. Here's how to bake perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookies every single time.
Unlike cooking, baking is a science. So finding a good recipe is the best place to start. Oh look... here's one right here.
The Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ingredients
- 1 c unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp of all purpose flour
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp of salt
- 1 3/4 cup of chocolate chunks
When preparing your ingredients make sure each one is measured and leveled off properly. If you use too much flour you're going to get cake-y cookies. Too little flour, they'll just fall flat. Too much soda and you'll have to toss the entire batch.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. We're going to keep this one simple for you but tell you all of the tips to use that will make the difference.
You'll mix all of the wet ingredients and all of the dry ingredients together as per usual. Then slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix to make your batter. BUT by following the tips below you can make sure you end up with gooey, chewy perfect cookies every time.
The Butter
First of all, if you didn't already know, no margarine allowed. Butter bakes better and the difference in flavor is night and day! Melt the butter half-way and then let it cool for at least 10 minutes. This helps create a chewy texture but at the same time your cookies won't fall flat
mix in the sugars, vanilla, eggs and stir well. The additional egg yolk helps keep the cookies moist. Set aside the wet ingredients.
The Dry Ingredients
Sift the dry ingredients together. Yes, dig your sifter out of the back of the cupboard. So many people skip this step. It's not just about removing lumps from the flour, it's more about combining the ingredients evenly so you get consistent batter.
Cornstarch is also going to help keep the batter soft by breaking down harsher proteins in the flour. Are you seeing the trend towards chewiness here?
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones bit by bit and alternate this with stirring. Don't over mix your batter.
The Chocolate
We like to use chocolate chunks. They're just a little larger than chocolate chips and make for loads of chocolate in every bite. Toss the chocolate chunks in a tbsp of flour until they're lightly covered. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cookie.
Add the chocolate to the batter. It's usually easiest to mix this up with your hands.
Chill your dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Parchment Paper
Want the perfect bake every time? Want to avoid burnt bottoms and uneven color? Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Need we say more?
Roll your cookies into 1 inch balls and place them in rows of three on your cookie sheet (or two inches apart from each other.)
Pre-heat Your Oven
No cheating. Don't put a cookie tray in the oven when it's at 250 degrees and not 350. If you forgot to pre-heat, wait it out. Remember...science...and your cookies need the perfect amount of time at the perfect temperature.
Bake your cookies for 11 minutes and remove them for the oven. They might appear a bit soft but the centers should set as they cool down. Cool your cookies on the sheet completely before you move them to a rack.
Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
