Birthday Cookies: Chocolate Chip 1.0

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For my birthday, I decided to treat myself to my favourite new hobby: baking. I wanted something simple and easy: chocolate chip cookies. I did research and had heard about the Nestle Toll House cookie, but I’ve never seen those chips in my supermarket. Taking advice from a couple sites, I modified the cookies just a bit. This is not a definitive recipe, rather an attempt to find my own perfect chocolate chip recipe with trial and error. This is Level One in the Baker’s Adventure for Chocolate Chip Cookies or version 1.0.

Chocolate Chip Cookies 1.0
Adapted from Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup margarine, melted
3/4 granulated white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture.
3. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if you’re into that sort of thing). Refrigerate an hour or freeze before dropping by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Chill between batches to keep dough firm.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 375’F from 8-11 min or until golden brown.

Review/Verdict: Here is where I admit that I do not actually have a sweet tooth, but that I love chocolate to death (the darker, the better). This is not the recipe’s fault, but next time, I am taking out a couple of tablespoons from the sugars. Additionally, I’ve read that halving the fat won’t affect the taste too much so I will try that next time as well. The cookies turned out really soft and gooey which is my preference. Maybe too much so, but wonderful with a glass of milk. The chocolate was very melted as I used 400’F instead of the 375.

Other things of note:

  • I don’t have a sifter so I probably have more four than the recipe calls for. More flour equals chewier cookies.
  • Everything was beat by hand so I got some strength training in.
  • I added a couple of tablespoons of milk (2%) when I was mixing the flour into the dough which is good at a discretion, but I found it unnecessary overall.
  • I melted the butter and the margarine in the microwave carefully so not to burn. I don’t really like margarine, but it, shortening or canola oil will help keep the cookies chewier for a longer time than all butter.
  • I used salted butter instead of unsalted which is partly why I have halved the salt, but in most cases, salted vs. unsalted is not a big issue especially in such a small quantity.
  • In Canada, Hershey Chopits and President’s Choice Decadent semi-sweet chocolate chips are widely available in supermarkets. I bought 1kg the PC chips and will continue to use them. They’re generally less expensive than Hershey’s and quite good.
  • If you like eating the cookie dough, replace the two eggs with a couple tablespoons of liquid such as vegetable (canola, etc).
  • Freeze unused dough in balls which you can pop in at a later time in the oven or the toaster oven (which I intend to do).

Next Time on Chocolate Cookie Television: less sugar, keep original salt, no milk during dough, 1 stick of butter (soft) and no margarine. I’m going to cut down both the sugar and the fat and see if I can rest with the taste.

Links:
Secrets of really good chocolate chip recipe italian charms
Cooking For Engineers – Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 thoughts on “Birthday Cookies: Chocolate Chip 1.0

  • Leslie

    I’ve had chocolate chip cookies on my mind for the past several days and I can almost taste them from the photo. The chewier, the better.

    Again, Happy Birthday, Athena!

    Reply
  • Tina

    That looks yummy. I like chewy cookies too, makes them more fun to eat. And yes, eating them with a glass of milk is the ultimate comfort food. 🙂

    Aha, tomorrow I’m doing my birthday chocolate cake.

    Reply

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