Chewy Cafe-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Cafe-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies - made dough September 22, 2017 from Host the Toast

This is a good, basic chocolate chip cookie. It has crisp edges, a chewy middle and a caramelized brown sugar flavor, all the elements you want in a chocolate chip cookie.

I'm not sure what else to say about it. I've made so many chocolate chip cookies over the course of my baking life that not all of them can stand out. It isn't a Levain Bakery copycat and it didn't stay particularly thick when baked. It did brown a bit more at the edges before the middles were baked enough than I normally care for but it's stilll a good cookie.

Perhaps I would've been more enthusiastic about it if I'd used milk chocolate chips or chunks instead of semisweet. But I was trying to mix it up so I used semisweet sweet.

To get the craggy look of the top, the recipe advises making a dough ball, tearing it in half and smushing the smooth bottoms side by side with the torn edges on top. I know many recipes do this trick to achieve that look. I'm indifferent to it. I'm an equal opportunity chocolate chip consumer when it comes to how it looks. Smooth topped or craggy, I'll eat them.

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the cooled melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for one minute. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract; beat until just combined.
3. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and scoop 1/4 cup of cookie dough at a time and roll into balls. Tear balls in half by pulling gently on both sides. Smush the two halves together again, leaving the torn sides face up. Evenly space on baking sheet and bake for about 11-12 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown and middles are no longer raw. Cool completely.