The chocolate chip cookie has long been my white whale, or my city of gold, if you will. I have long pursued it’s sublime perfection. I spent the summers of my youth working at the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie. (some kids go the pool, others pine for baking perfection) Some days the planets aligned and they were absolutely flawless, and then the next day, sub par. I spent as many days being foiled by them, as I did basking in their glory. The disparity, literally fed my drive to continue, (I was completely obsessed.) Like the answer to most problems, the solution was right under my nose or in this case, right on the bag of Tollhouse chocolate chips. This classic recipe is so good it even adapts to being made with gluten-free flour with minimal tweaking. To look at these golden beauties today, I am as awestruck and proud as the very first time I made them with this recipe. If you feel the same way about a well-made chocolate chip cookie, I know that you will thoroughly appreciate this timeless recipe.

A classic for a reason, this recipe is adaptable to most individual’s chocolate chip cookie preferences (you know you have them). Here are my top three tips for the perfect cookie:

1. refrigerate the dough a little (too cold and they don’t spread out) before baking to insure the cookies are moist and gooey.

2. weigh your cookie dough balls for a consistent product.

3. under-bake the cookies slightly and allow the hot pan to finish the process of setting the centers.

I suppose I really ought to thank this perfect and elusive cookie for making me the baker I am today. Tenacity and endurance are the true bakers mantras. Currently, I spend most hours of my day trying to make the best gluten-free, nut-free, and dye-free baked goods that I possibly can. It’s always been a labor of love and it’s always been worth it. Thanks for following along.

Be Sweet &

See you soon.

Geri

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

yields 12

Ingredients

• 8 ounces salted butter, at room temperature

• 3/4 C. light brown sugar

• 3/4 C. granulated sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 eggs, at room temperature

• 336 g. Cherbourg flour

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Cream butter, beat in brown sugar, beat in granulated sugar, add vanilla, add eggs one at a time, and beat well.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Slowly and gently, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing as you go. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Divide dough in half and wrap each in plastic wrap. Let chill for at least 45 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 350° F.

5. Roll dough into large balls (weight of each rolled cookie is approximately 85 grams). Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Leave plenty of room between each cookie.

6. Bake for 14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is almost set. Take out of the oven and leave on the cookie sheet to finish baking and to set the centers.