chocolate chip cookies

For my first post, I wanted to bake a recipe that was simple and delicious: chocolate chip cookies. One of my favorite childhood memories is "helping" Grandma in her kitchen, scooping and rolling chip-laden mounds of dough to place on the baking sheet. After years of trying to re-create her recipe, I've come up with my own adaptation. These cookies should come out golden brown at the edges, chewy in the middle, and so full of melted chocolate chips that they fall apart when you pick them up.

Preheat your oven to 375 F, and get your 2 sticks of butter of of the fridge so they can soften.

Measure your dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda,
and 1 tsp salt. If you like your cookies on the crispy side, leave out 1/4 cup of the flour.

I like mine big and fluffy like Grandma's, so I leave it in.

Then, if you're feeling dangerous, add a dash of nutmeg.

Yeah, I said nutmeg. It's my "not-so-secret ingredient".  I like the way it complements the chocolate,
and just adds that little something extra.

Place your 2 sticks of softened butter in a large mixing bowl...

add 3/4 cup granulated sugar...

3/4 cup brown sugar...

...and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Beat with a mixer until creamy. Add the 2 eggs and combine.

Mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, until the batter is completely combined.

Then it's time for the chocolate. You can use whatever kind of chips you like. Grandma always had
Toll House semi-sweet morsels. But I happen to be in love with dark chocolate...

These chips are a little bigger than your normal "morsels". Which means bigger chunks of chocolate
in your cookie. I'm fully OK with that. The more chocolate, the better as far as I'm concerned.

You can add anywhere between 6 and 12 ounces (1/2 to a whole bag) of the morsels to your batter.
Mix them in with a wooden spoon. Then scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball,
and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Twelve hefty-sized dough balls should fit comfortably on the sheet. Depending on the size, you should yield 36 to 48 cookies. (I like to make 36 larger cookies). Stick them in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

They should be just golden brown on the edges.

Let them cool on the sheet for a minute, then transfer to a wire baking rack.

OR right to a waiting plate...

Warning: melted chips may not hold cookies together.

It's ok to eat the ones that fall apart. In fact, you really should test them before giving them away to
anyone else. Just make sure to have napkins handy, and probably a glass of milk would be good too.

Makes 36- 48 cookies:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice

2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups (1 12-oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375, on an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Enjoy!