Saturday Suppers: Chocolate Chip Cookies Times Three

In my house, baking chocolate chip cookies usually means making three batches of cookies, sometimes four.  Each of the three nieces whom I see most often like different types of chocolate cookies and my other half prefers oatmeal raisin.  Seldom does baking chocolate chip cookies mean baking just one batch.  Baking this simplest of American cookies invented at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts by Ruth Wakefield can turn into an all day affair for me.

My oldest niece, Jamie’s chocolate chip cookie of choice is Alexis Stewart’s Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies, which we call Chocolate Chip Flats.  The key to Chocolate Chip Flats is like Chef Didier exclaims is the key to life in Last Holiday “butter” (and a healthy amount of brown sugar).  The first time I made these cookies, I was absolutely positive that I had messed them up some how in spite of following the recipe.  They were flat and gooey, almost raw looking, but if I kept them in the oven longer they burnt.  I thought that first batch was a total flop but I used up the cookie dough and let the cookies cool.  Turns out they are supposed to be flat and gooey when they come out of the oven.  If my other half eats a chocolate chip cookie this is the one and I have even adapted the cookie to make Oatmeal Raisin Flats, hands down his favorite cookie.

Chocolate Chip Flats

 My ingredients lined up on the counter.

          INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups best-quality chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS WITH PICTURES

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 Cream butter until smooth.

Add sugars.

Beat until smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla.

Beat until smooth.

Into a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

Slowly beat dry ingredients into wet mixture.

Make sure dry ingredients are completely mixed.

Add 2 cups chocolate chips.

I add in 1 cup chopped nuts, pecans or walnuts; the original recipe does not call for nuts.

I use a small ice cream scoop to measure dough.

Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons dough per cookie (or a small ice cream scoop) onto parchment lined baking sheets; space dough at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.  I only place 6 cookies per sheets on which I normally bake 12 cookies on.

Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.  This is after 9 minutes; see how the dough looks raw still.  This is how it’s supposed to look.

Remove cookies from baking sheets, and allow to cool on baking racks. I had to taste test.

Chocolate Chip Flats are done and waiting to be packaged.

Next up Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  My 13-year old niece, Gianna is a young lady who knows exactly what she wants and how she wants it.  This applies to most areas of her life and in the cookie department, it is pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, small chocolate chips, no nuts, glazed with a simple icing.  She sometimes has an iron deficiency, so I’ve been known to slip in some wheat germ and cut the oil in half with apple sauce when she’s not looking.  Sshh!  Today, I did neither I just used my recipe as is.  I honestly don’t know where I found this recipe, I think one of my sisters shared it with me as I have it written down on paper.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

My ingredients lined up on the counter.

          INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS WITH PICTURES

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla.

Beat on medium speed until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (I omit nuts).

Drop by tablespoonful onto greased baking sheets.  I use my small ice cream scoop and fit 12 cookies per baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-14 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.  My oven runs hot, I take out between 12-13 minutes.

Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

I frost with a simple confectionary sugar icing flavored with vanilla.

Two batches down, one left to go.  Gianna’s sister Jenny at 10- years of age is a traditionalist.  She will eat the other types of chocolate chip cookies but her preference is America’s original chocolate chip cookie –   The Toll House Cookie baked according to the slice and bake method.

 Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie

My ingredients lined up on the counter.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS WITH PICTURES

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.

 Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

 Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in chocolate morsel and nuts, if desired.

Divide dough in half.

Wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. I oftentimes refrigerate overnight.

Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F.

Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Place on ungreased baking sheets (I line with parchment paper). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

As you can see, my family is particular about their chocolate chip cookies.  Jenny says that no matter what kind I bake she likes them best with a glass of cold milk.  I agree.

I did recently see an interesting chocolate chip recipe on Pinterest that might become a contender for top chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I plan on trying it out soon and will let you know the verdict.  And, apparently I cannot have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes. Or enough milk.