I have a problem.
It's a big one.
This self proclaimed entertainer/baker/cook ...
cannot make a chocolate chip cookie ...
to save her life.
Chocolate chip cookies are
quite possibly one of simplest recipes.
I can rattle the ingredients off the top of my head ...
butter, brown sugar, white sugar,
eggs and vanilla extract,
flour, baking soda, salt,
and chocolate chips, duh.
I've tried refrigerating dough,
and using less flour,
I've tried a variety of baking sheets,
and cookie sizes.
And they're rarely good.
And they're never perfect.
And sometimes they are too thin,
or too hard,
or too burnt,
or too something.
And I just want to be able to cook an awesome
chocolate chip cookie, goddamnit.
Is that too much to ask for?!
So please help a girl out and tell me your secrets.
Please?
and thank you.
The recipe that I use most is Ina Garten's. They always have such a great flavor to them and the right amount of crisp on the outside and chew on the inside! #heaven and I tend to take them out earlier since they'll still cook on the pan after you take them out. Try it and see what happens! You'll find what works for you Lara!!
ReplyDeleteI use the recipe on my blog and swear by the sur la table baking sheets. It's okay, I can't make caramel. It's my kryptonite.
ReplyDeleteI always follow the recipe on the back of the tollhouse chocolate chip bag. I've never had a problem with the recipe and my cookies always come out nice and fluffy!
ReplyDeleteI usually use the Tollhouse recipe and always take them out on the early side (like Susan mentioned above). Let cool a few minutes on the sheet and then move to a cooling rack. I've also had luck with rolling the dough into balls before baking and making sure they are the size called for on the recipe. But I've made a million batches in my life, and from time to time, they just don't come out great... so don't be too hard on yourself!
ReplyDeletemake sure your butter is room temperature...and i just follow the tollhouse choc. chip bag (using semi sweet) and like Melissa take them out a little earlier than later..sometimes i even add in a little bit of walnut, makes them a little more moist and you don't really taste the nut in them.
ReplyDeleteYou are better than me. I have never made cookies from scratch.xo
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad! I found out that I'm allergic to gluten, but before that, I began collecting tips from a various friend. One friend mixed whole wheat flour with regular flour and it tasted amazing. My cousin adds a dash of cinnamon and I swear it creates this chemical reaction of amazingness (you don't taste the cinnamon at at). Also, I've heard changing the ratios of sugar around can work well, so adding more brown sugar than white. I'm pretty sure flour levels are a determining factor in the thickness of the cookie. As is the temperature of the butter. So, some people want thinner cookies so they melt the butter, and use less flour. I also used to bake them at 365* I'd say just keep playing around and don't feel bad. You will find your own unique recipe and then everyone will be begging you for it!! Best of luck! :)
ReplyDeleteWant to know the secret? Add a packet of dry vanilla pudding. It makes them mosit and fluffy. I promise this trick works! You can look up recipes on allrecipes.com - I forget now which exact one I use as I have it written down on a card.
ReplyDeleteSmitten Kitchen's crispy chewy chocolate chip cookie is fool proof!
ReplyDeleteThe comment about the butter is so true! Mine were always flat and my mother-in-law said to make sure the butter came to room temperature on its own. I love cupcake and cashmere's recipe even though it took quite a while! You are an incredible cook and I can't wait to hear how these turn out!
ReplyDeletehttp://cupcakesandcashmere.com/the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies-ever/
I would say be sure to cream the (room temperature) butter and sugar together extremely well so that it's quite fluffy, paler, and nearly doubled in volume. This step is the most important in ANY drop cookie recipe, because it generates air in the dough and is primarily responsible for the final texture of the cookie. I've also been reading more about letting a dough sit overnight, but haven't tried this yet. I'm not sure how this would affect the gluten and the overall texture in the end? Drop cookies with some type of chocolate are my specialty (J's fave are oatmeal chocolate chip!)
ReplyDeleteTry using shortening instead of butter it has a higher melt temp than butter so your cookies won't spread as much. Cake flour can also help create a softer chewier cookie. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteIt's already been mentioned, but I totally agree about removing the cookies from the oven early — that's when you get the crispy outside and soft center!
ReplyDeleteThis NY Times recipe never fails -- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html?_r=0. Perfect every time!
ReplyDeleteI wanna try this out but many times my cookies don't come our so fluffy! xo
ReplyDelete~ Herman Swan
ha! AND ditto. mine always end up flat and crispy :( pilsbury always works! xoxo jillian:: cornflake dreams
ReplyDeleteThe last time I used smitten kitchen's recipe (the one from David Lebovitz), which worked well except that I put them in a bit longer than I should have. They were awesome to start with and a little hard after day 3. But I made huge cookies. I used an ice cream scoop and it was wonderfully over the top!
ReplyDelete