For the forth of July I am heading to Colorado for about a week, then to Ohio for a few more days. I am excited to relax and clear my mind in Colorado before the next journey appears. Before my adventures start I wanted to be sure to have one last blog, since it may be awhile until I have a chance to cook again. Though, hopefully I will be able to cook in Colorado a few times, if I’m lucky :).

So here’s the thing, I have been searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie for awhile now and after trying recipe after recipe, I have finally found it.When I think about the perfect cookie it is something along the lines of (this may sound odd), but those cookies everyone has tried at least once or twice, the Nestle Toll House cookies that come packaged and ready to bake from the grocery store. When I first tried this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Essentials of Baking, I was a little hesitant because unlike other recipes, these cookies call for more brown sugar than granulated sugar. What I was in for once these cookies came out of the oven was a big surprise to me. It was like love at first sight. They were exactly what I wanted in a cookie. These cookies have a bit of a crunch, gooey center, and just the right taste overall. I was finally satisfied. Few! What a relief. I finally found just the right recipe and all of my hard work paid off.

*I always use mini semi-sweet chocolate chips as opposed to regular because the mini chips evenly distribute throughout the cookie and give the cookie a nice sweet taste while not overpowering it with too much sweetness like the regular chips would.

Happy baking!

Niki

Chocolate Chip Cookie

*30 cookies

• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 butter, room temp
• 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 T Granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 c semisweet mini chocolate chips

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or grease with crisco.  In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well blended. Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat low speed just until incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets spaced 2 in. apart. Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned. About 11 minutes.