The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie - November 4, 2009
If you like Nestle Tollhouse Cookies, you'll probably like these. If, however, you're a chocolate chip cookie aficionado like me, to us single people, this isn't Mr. Right. It could, however, be Mr. Right Now. The edges are crisp, the middles are chewy and although it spread more than I would've liked, it still remained thicker than the average cookie. The main thing I didn't like about it is it just seemed a trifle too sweet. For someone with my legendary sweet tooth, that should tell you something. Yes, even I have a sugar limit in my taste buds.
Despite last night's debacle with the (Not-So-)Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Cookies from the Dessert Bible, I was willing to give Christopher Kimball and the Cook's Illustrated folks another chance. Meh. The cookie's not bad but I don't think I would go so far as calling it "the best" chocolate chip cookie. The chocolate chip cookie recipe from In the Sweet Kitchen by Regan Daley is much better than this one. Still, if you like crisp edges and chewy middles, give this one a whirl. Most people would probably think it's fine. But I seem to be extraordinarily picky with both cookies and men.
¼ cup Crisco
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 ounces chocolate chips (chunks are preferred over chips)
1. Heat oven to 375˚F. Beat the Crisco and butter in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until pretty smooth but with a few harder pieces (about 1 minute). Add the sugars and stir until well blended. Add the egg, egg white, and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the batter and mix together until smooth. Add the chips and fold in.
2. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. For large cookies, place heaping tablespoons of dough on the paper with 1 ½ inches between the outer edges of the balls of dough. Shape the dough quickly with your hand so that each spoonful is compact and not too spread out.
3. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Rotate pan front to back halfway through baking; do not overcook.
4. Slide parchment paper onto wire racks to cool. Repeat as needed with fresh sheets of parchment paper.
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 ounces chocolate chips (chunks are preferred over chips)
1. Heat oven to 375˚F. Beat the Crisco and butter in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until pretty smooth but with a few harder pieces (about 1 minute). Add the sugars and stir until well blended. Add the egg, egg white, and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the batter and mix together until smooth. Add the chips and fold in.
2. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. For large cookies, place heaping tablespoons of dough on the paper with 1 ½ inches between the outer edges of the balls of dough. Shape the dough quickly with your hand so that each spoonful is compact and not too spread out.
3. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Rotate pan front to back halfway through baking; do not overcook.
4. Slide parchment paper onto wire racks to cool. Repeat as needed with fresh sheets of parchment paper.
ETA: I tried this cookie again when it was cool and I changed my mind. It's not the Mr. Right Now of chocolate chip cookie recipes or even Mr. Maybe. It's just too sweet for my tastes. This recipe and I are breaking up.
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