I have a lot of things that are my favorite. Some things will be forever favorites while other things will be favorites until the next best thing comes along. My favorite pen to write with is a Jonathan Adler teal metal pen, followed closely by fine point Sharpies. My favorite hair product is Chi Silk Infusion. My favorite TV Show is Friday Night Lights, with Parenthood coming in right behind. I’ve never read a book that has moved me as much as The Glass Castle. If I could pick my favorite place to hang out, it would be on the beach of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I love too many magazines, but the one that I get most excited to see in my mailbox each month is Real Simple Magazine, followed by Coastal Living. I’m a die hard Nikon DSLR fan. My favorite way to spend an early Saturday morning is baking goodies in the kitchen while listening to Glee (my favorite soundtrack) on my Kitchen iHome. Of course, I’d be wearing my favorite apron while baking from The Hip Hostess. Finally, my favorite child is…. oh wait, I probably shouldn’t go there, should I?
My list of favorite things goes on and on, but there is one question you can ask me that I will be forever dumbfounded on the answer, and that is “What is your favorite cookie?” I enjoy a good, chewy, soft cookie, but narrowing it down to which one type of cookie is my favorite is impossible. I love Monster Cookies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Pie Crust Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Rolo Cookies. I love them all. And as close as I feel like I’ve come to finding my favorite recipe for each of these cookies, a new recipe comes along and gives the old fave a run for the money.
This is how it is with Chocolate Chip Cookies. I love my old standby recipe for Lisa’s Swirled Chocolate Chip Cookies. To me, that chocolate chip cookie recipe has always equaled perfection, resulting in a chewy on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside cookie gem. I don’t know what made me wander away from that recipe this weekend, but I did. I strayed and I found a chocolate chip cookie recipe that is a very close rival. Maybe not my all time favorite, but a cookie recipe I’ll return to time and time again.
As you can see, figuring out my favorite type of cookie isn’t an easy task. I do believe it would be easier to pick out a favorite child…
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Evenly position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. (on convection setting if you have it.) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.)
- Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted. (Alternatively melt in a small saucepan.) Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve.
- Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Steph @ Plain Chicken says
I have so many favorite cookies too! I love to make chocolate chip cookies – everyone loves to eat them. I’ll give this version a try!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says
Yay, outer banks! 🙂 I love a good chewy-inside choco chip cookie, as well!
Kathy - Panini Happy says
These cookies look phenomenal. Dine & Dish is one of *my* favorite things!!
Amy from She Wears Many Hats says
Fun seeing your favorite things! Cookies are definitely up there on my list of favorite things – especially a good chocolate chip cookie.
Michelle says
So funny – easier to choose a fave child rather than a fave cookie? LOL
These definitely look worthy of a favorite list.
Steph (Desserts for Breakfast) says
Kristen! I LOVED this post! It’s so hilarious, and, being in academics and having to read and write stuffy old language day after day, I’ve totally missed humanistic writing like this! Your favorites list is so perfect–fine Sharpies (YES!), Glee (totally concur!), Real Simple (have you seen Donna Hay? it’s like Real Simple, but entirely for food!), and Nikon DSLR (Go Nikon girls!). And, I really hope your kids don’t read your blog…. ;-P
Deliciously Organic says
Love your list of favorites! What a fun post!
Jessica @ How Sweet says
I have so many favorite cookies and desserts. These look delicious!
Pam says
My favorite is usually whatever it is that I’m eating at that moment!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
No contest — chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, too.
Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen says
Friday Night Lights is by far the best show on television. I haven’t watched Parenthood, but I know that Jason Katims (the writer from FNL) does that show as well. And I looove the Outer Banks in NC.
If love all the things that you do so this must mean I’m going to looove these cookies!
Lisa says
Those look delicious! Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite cookies. I baked a small batch of nearly gluten- and sugar-free ones* Saturday morning and uh, well, they somehow completely vanished by this morning. Could I have really eaten about two dozen in that time?! Thanks to your ever-wonderful, drool-inducing photography, I’m hankering for another batch of cookies right now. Thanks a lot, Kristen! 😉
If only it weren’t for the 105℉+ heat indices forecasted for this week….
xx
*I.e., The morsels I use aren’t labeled “gluten-free.” So, it’s not 100% gluten-free.
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Nice post. I checked out a few links there. I’m with you on Parenthood and I’ve never watched FNL. I don’t watch too much TV.
Cookies sound awesome!! Love the recommendation, thanks!
I always say about my kids that “You are my favorite 8 year old” or “11 year old” and so on. All 3 are different ages so I can get away with that.
Joanne says
Hmm yeah. Cookies are tough.
Glee. I love it. Parenthood. I love it. And if I had a Nikon DSLR. I would love it.
But chocolate chip versus snickerdoodle? That would be a fight to the death. These look fantastic though!
Betty says
Sharpies…Nikon…Outer Banks….cookies…..oh yes- these are some of my favorites as well! Each of my kids would tell you that they’re my favorite! Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite of mine too, and it’s really hard to choose just one! I’m always open to try new chocolate chip recipes! Thanks for this one.
Amanda says
I too have so many favorite cookies, it’s really hard to narrow them down to a single choice. Thanks for all the fabulous links, this great recipe, and the shout out 🙂 🙂
The Hip Hostess says
So absolutely flattered and honored to be on your favorite things list! Hope you’re hip little apron is serving you well. I’m right there with you on the Real Simple magazine, along with Country Living it’s my favorite way to relax and get inspired!
12th Man says
The chocolate chip cookie is to bakers what the omelet is to chefs. Very simple, yet a good test of one’s ability. Cheers!
patsyk says
Your post made me smile today! I have so many favorite things… and like you, some are only favorites until the next best thing comes along. I can’t decide on a favorite cookie either, but I’m always a sucker for a chewy cookie with chips in it!
Erika Beth, the Messy Chef says
I love that the Rolo cookies are one of your favorite cookies while my hands down favorite are chocolate chip cookies. I will have to try this recipe. 🙂
Patricia Scarpin says
These are perfect looking cookies, sweetie! They look so beautiful – I’m bookmarking the recipe now!
Maria says
You can never have too many favorite cookie recipes:) Love these!
Cookin' Canuck says
Soft and chewy is just how I like my chocolate chip cookies. I will have to give these a shot. I’m going straight to the library to borrow The Glass Castle.
Sues says
Yummm! There’s always room for more cookies 🙂 Also, I LOVE Parenthood and can’t wait for it to return. This post reminds me (in a good way!) of these email chains we used to do in 8th grade called “100 things that make me happy.” We’d just sit there and list all the things that make us happy… Something I think is totally important to do sometimes 🙂
Barbara @ VinoLuciStyle says
All these comments about cookies and all I can think is…you love Friday Night Lights too?
I had a moment a couple of months ago when I was determined to make a chocolate chip cookie that measured up to the accolades I read online. Hmm, not sure baking at altitude will ever realize those same results. It might seem chewy but truth is, an hour sitting out will see them dry out and be something less. They taste fine but I think our dry air makes that nirvana hopeless to find; so I’ll just keep enjoying my crispie versions!
marla says
These cookies sounds amazing, I gotta go check out your pie crust cookies too. YUM!
I also read the book The Glass Castle. I could hardly put it down. Really makes you think, huh? xo
Chaya says
I adore King Arthur Flour’s chocolate chip cookies. They came out chewy and I love chewy.
I have been trying recipes to see if I can beat King Arthur’s. When school starts and I can give them to my class, I hope to make these and see how they fall next to King Arthur.
Of course, this is subjective. We all have different desires as to the characteristics of the chocolate chip cookie but it is fun trying so many different ones.
delicieux says
Damn these look SO good!! There is nothing better than chewy chocolate chip cookies or any chewie cookies in my opinion.
Yum!!
LyB says
Hmmm, favorite child… Well, all three are driving me nuts right now, so I’d rather tell you my favorite cookie! 😉 Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are high on the list, that’s for sure!
brilynn says
Gorgeous pics! I’m a big fan of Alton Brown’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, I actually just made a batch of them but used white chocolate and macadamia nuts instead of the chocolate chips and they’re super good.
Karly says
I love a good chocolate chip cookie…there is really nothing better!
Pat Wogan says
How do you get them to last several days even in an airtight container.
Pat Wogan says
How do you get them to last several days even in an airtight container.
begin with a Sunny Outlook says
I saved your recipe to my favorites! I love a homemade cookie – nothing like it!
Someone before me asked about keeping cookies freah in a container – if you put a slice of white bread in the container the cookies stay soft (the bread becomes hard) 🙂
smithbites says
So fun to read your ‘favorite things’ list AND to finally meet you in person this weekend! Kristen, you are so encouraging and inspiring; you’re authentic AND you love Friday Night Lights! Thanks so much for your insight & help in navigating this blogging world!
Amber says
I know exactly what you mean. One of my favorite cookies in the world is a dark chocolate cookie with white chocolate chunks. I could never replicate the color, and I couldn’t understand why. Until, standing in a specialty store, the light shone, and the angels sang, and I found *dark* cocoa powder. I didn’t even know such a thing existed.
I think all of us that bake are constantly searching for that elusive perfect recipe. Your post has shown me that. Glad to know I’m not crazy. At least about that. And you’re right – it would be easier to pick a favorite child.
It was lovely to meet you on Saturday!
Asha at beFOODled says
I love Glee too! And those cookies look delish 🙂
Jimi says
This was such a fun post! I loved all the links, checking out your favorites. I’m excited to try this recipe. We have a chocolate chip recipe we like but they spread a little more than I want them too. Hoping to try this one sometime this week!
El says
There’s nothing like a great chocolate chip cookie. They look marvelous!
Deanna says
I also love Friday Night Lights and thought that The Glass Castle was an amazing book. Have you read Half-Broke Horses? Written by the same author about her grandmother. Absolutely fascinating. Thank you for the post about chocolate chip cookies. They look like they are going to jump from the screen and into my mouth. Chocolate chip cookies always remind me of my mom and growing up, watching her bake in the kitchen 🙂
Laura says
I’ve made these cookies twice now, and they are soooo good! The second time, I used 3/4 bag of choc chips and 2 reeces peanut butter cups (wow!).
My cookies didn’t stay as good past the 3rd/4th day, but I haven’t tried the white bread trick (mentioned above). Just means they should be readily consumed quickly (no problem there!). Or maybe make some ice cream sandwiches with a few of them?
Thanks for the recipe. It is a definite winner!
Connie the Cookie Monster says
hey! just found your blog over at recipe girls! why havent i been here before?!
Elsie says
Oh my goodness,
I have such difficulty finding the perfect cookie recipe. This was (in my opinion) the nicest cookie I have ever tasted! Whether it was down to my mad baking skills 😉 – or your AMAZING recipe (I’d bet the later) haha.
But seriously THANK YOU!
xxxxx