The perfected “go big or go home” chocolate chip cookie

I’ll be honest. I don’t have actually have a Pinterest board full of recipes that I’ve tried and loved. Since I don’t have a ton of time to experiment continuously, my strategy is to pretty darn good at a couple of things and not actually diversify. I can totally impress at a bake sale, as long as I stick to this chocolate chip cookie recipe. After countless text exchanges with two of my legit baker friends (Chef Laura and Erin D), I have been able to fake some serious baking chops.

The base recipe is the New York Times recipe but the devil is in the details as I’ve iterated through multiple bake sessions.

Disclaimer: I haven’t had a child not ask me for seconds and an adult not ask me for the recipe after trying it. This is also NOT a healthy recipe. It’s a “Go-big-or-go-home-full-fat-full-carbs” recipe. Enjoy in moderation!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Make-ahead)

The magic and curse of this recipe is that it requires “curing” overnight in the fridge.

**On one hand, it’s always great to have dough in the freezer, on the other hand it’s not a cookie you want to make an hour before a church potluck.**

Ingredients

MIX together and set aside:

2 cups minus 2 tbsp. (8.5 oz.) cake flour
Cake flour substitute: Use 7.5oz of all-purpose flour, plus 1oz of corn starch
1 2/3 cups (8.5 oz.) bread flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt such as kosher salt. Regular salt is fine too.

CREAM together in stand mixer on low:

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups packed (10 oz.) light brown sugar:
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. (8 oz.) granulated sugar

ADD to mixer on low, one by one

2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 lbs. bittersweet/dark chocolate
I use a combination of whatever chocolate chips I have on hand.
For a sprinkle of sophistication, some Maldon Sea Salt flakes to top the cookies. (OMG, these sea salt tins are so cute they would make stocking stuffers for your foodie friends)

Directions

Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. (If you have time, you can sift them. I never do)

In a large bowl (preferably of a stand mixer) cream butter and sugars together (using paddle attachment) until very light, about 5 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next.

Mix in the vanilla.

On low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, only 5-10 seconds.(I had to get in there and knead with my hands since I was mixer-less.)

Gently incorporate the chocolate into the dough until it is just mixed.

Scoop and form the dough into 2.5" balls(slightly smaller than golf ball sized) and refrigerate in the mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap.

After 12-24 hours, move them to the freezer in gallon ziploc bags after they've hardened in the fridge. Now you always have cookie dough ready to go!

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper/silpat.

Place dough balls onto baking sheet, making sure to leave ample room between (should be able to fit 6-8 on each sheet, depending on the size). Sprinkle each dough ball lightly with Maldon sea salt flakes.

Bake 15-20 minutes (varies depending on oven) until golden brown but still soft. For our oven its between 16-17 minutes. It alway looks underdone when removed, don't second guess it.

Let sheet cool for 5-10 minutes while cookies continue to bake on the sheet. I usually leave it on the stovetop. Then move cookies onto the wire rack or other surface to continue to cool. The harder you want your cookies to be, the longer you keep them on the baking sheet.

Eat warm and make sure you have a napkin near (for crumbs, melted chocolate, and the drool that will inevitably accumulate due to the overwhelming deliciousness)!