Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m picky about cookies. They can’t be hard and crunchy; they can’t be too soft and gooey. Not too flat and spread out, but not too dense.

Baking perfect cookies, for me, has become a combination of careful measuring and method, and of finding the perfect recipe. This has been my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for years (I’m not sure of its origin or I’d give credit where credit is certainly due), because it has a secret ingredient that yields that perfect combination of caramelization on the outside and softness on the inside, which to me is perfection in cookie form.

I finally decided to share the recipe because my childhood best friend is a very talented food photographer and I finally got smart enough to ask her to bake and photograph these beauties so you all can drool a little on your phone or keyboard and then make a batch for yourself.

A few tips that help these (and other cookie recipes) to turn out well:

• Use softened butter (not melted) and I personally like to use half salted and half unsalted.
• Measure carefully. When I cook, I measure by pinches and palmfuls and dabs, but when I bake I use measuring cups and spoons and level off the tops with a knife.
• Let the dough chill. This isn’t necessary, especially for these cookies, but if you’re patient enough to do it the cookies become even more caramelized on the outside when you bake them. Plus, if the dough is in the fridge you can just bake a few cookies at a time (if you have the self-control that I lack).

• Servings: approximately 3 dozen cookies
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2–1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 package (3.4 oz) instant french vanilla pudding mix (or chocolate pudding, if you want them extra chocolatey like the cookies pictured!)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 package chocolate chips (Tollhouse dark chocolate chips are my favorite)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking soda with a wire whisk and then set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the pudding mix until combined, then the eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. Gradually add the flour mixture just until combined, then stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Cover the bowl and let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, or up to four days. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and let the bowl sit out on the cover while the oven preheats. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned on the outside. Cool for two minutes before removing  from the pan to cool completely on a rack. These are best if eaten the same day. If they’re stored in a covered container they lose their crispiness on the outside.

Photo credit: Cyona Harrison