Mom might have taught me how to bake. But Dad certainly taught me how to eat. Dad was the type that was always cracking little jokes. As kids, Little Brother and I thought they were hysterical. As teenagers, we were probably less than appreciative. And as adults, we find ourselves repeating them with a smile. Often. No one can say that we are not well-equipped to raise our kids right. While there are certainly more important wisdoms I have learned from Dad, these are the ones that are on my mind and make my heart smile while baking a batch of the best chocolate chip cookies…
Never skip dessert. If you die of a heart attack after dinner, the whole way to heaven, you’re going to be thinking, “I shoulda had dessert.”
There is always room for ice cream. Even if you’re full, ice cream just melts and fills in around the other food in your stomach.
The 10 second rule. And in cases where chocolate, candy, or cookies are involved, the 30 second rule.
Om – ni – om – ni – v – o – r. Hover your salad plate over the salad, moving it in a clockwise motion and chant these sounds. Then, you get to skip the bunny food.
The dessert compartment. Because even after you are full from dinner, your dessert compartment is still empty. (See “Never skip dessert,” above.)
The oatmeal raisin king. All cookies are inferior to oatmeal raisin cookies. Even if it is the “best recipe for chocolate chip cookies.” (But see “The modified cookie tasting scale,” below.)
The modified cookie tasting scale. Even bad cookies are still cookies, warranting at least a 7 on the 1-10 yumminess scale.
A father’s duty. It is every father’s duty to sacrifice himself as taste-tester for his family, to make sure that cookies and other baked goods are not poisonous.
Thank you, Dad, for taking one for the team and for taste-testing a ridiculous amount of cookies over the years.
The Best Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I have made a whole lot of cookies ever since I was tall enough to tip my nose over the kitchen counter top. Our family’s go to recipe was always Toll House, but over the years, I’ve adapted to my personal preferences. (And based on feedback by putting my friends through blind taste tests.) I like to jump around to a lot of various cookie recipes, constantly trying new ratios and add-ins. But when I’m desperate for a baking day at home, in pjs, and need the very best chocolate chip cookie to bring me comfort, this is the recipe I turn to.
Now I know that the shortening v. butter is a great baker’s debate. But I encourage you to try this recipe with the butter/shortening hybrid. There really is no better way to guarantee the best chocolate chip cookies. I also prefer to use a mix of semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, and Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking chocolate. The different sizes and hit of high quality chocolate help make it the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
PS – Caught someone trying to snitch a cookie from the photo shoot…
wyldflour
24-30 cookies
15 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
35 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 1 review(s)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup shortening (you can replace with butter but cookies won't be as soft)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups flour (*see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups mixed semi-sweet chocolate (e.g., chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, Ghirardelli baking chocolate bar)
Instructions
- Take butter out of refrigerator to soften. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. (You can also soften the butter by heating it in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Watch it to make sure you don't melt it!)
- Cream together shortening, butter, and sugars.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt by hand.
- Stir in semi-sweet chocolate. Pull off 1/4 cup-ish sized chunks (for large cookies) or a couple tablespoons of dough (for smaller cookies) and roll into balls. Space out at least 2 inches apart on a non-stick cookie sheet. Dot each cookie with a few extra chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes and remove from oven. They will be just a tad underdone, but this will preserve the softness. Remove to cooling rack, being careful not to break the cookies. Store in a plastic bag on the counter.
Notes
*If you prefer flatter cookies (aka David's choice), then drop the flour down to 2 3/4 cups flour and flatten the cookie dough balls slightly with your palm before baking.
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Carbs
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