Chocolate Chip Cookies: soft, gooey, and baked to perfection!

These cookies are such a winner. They are a big hit when I bring them to a picnic or other sharing event and they are devoured even faster in my own house. With a light browning on the outside and a soft gooey center, these cookies are perfect. The recipe is great, but technique is everything with these cookies. Follow directions for the ingredients, the proper mixing, and most importantly, the proper baking.

You will need:

• 1/2 cup (8 oz or 1 stick) butter, melted then cooled to room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• approximately 1/2 cup chocolate chips (preferably Hershey's special dark or semisweet)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. 

As stated, start by melting the better completely, then let it cool to room temperature so that it is in a very soft solid state. Add that to a stand mixer along with the sugar, and beat with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes. Make the sugars and fat a good creamy consistency. 

Add the egg and vanilla, then beat for another 10-15 seconds. Do not over-mix this one. It should be mostly mixed in. Not perfectly, but mostly. Then add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until it is just barely mixed in.

As soon as the ingredients come together, stop the mixer. For the rest you can use your hand or a rubber scraper. Scrape down and knead the unmixed flour into the dough. Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.  I find a heaping 1/2 cup to be the perfect amount, but you can play around with this a little depending on how many or how few chocolate chips you like. Once incorporated, drop into 1-1/2 " round balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven. I find that 9 minutes works for me every time, but ovens may slightly differ. Start with an 8 minute bake time. If the tops or edges have slight golden tips, then they are done: even if the center looks doughy- it will finish baking while cooling. Do not wait for the entire cookie to be golden; it should have some parts that look un-done. It may take some practice identifying a perfectly baked cookie, but it is definitely worth learning. 😊