Chocolate chip cookies

This recipe is from theĀ New York Times. It is perfect and simply cannot be improved. Yes, waiting 24 – 72 hours between making cookie dough and baking them seems absurd, but I promise you: these cookies are worth the wait.

Chocolate chip cookies

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 3 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 1/2 oz cake flour
  • 8 1/2 oz bread flour (you can substitute all purpose)
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp course salt
  • 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 10 oz light brown sugar
  • 8 oz granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 lbs 60% cacao chocolate chips/discs
  • sea salt (to sprinkle)

Instructions
 

  • Take the unsalted butter out of the fridge. Let it soften.
  • Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
  • Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. I usually fold them in with a spatula instead of the mixer.
  • Scoop dough into 3 1/2-ounce mounds (the size of generous golf balls) and set back into your bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic/beeswax wrap and refrigerate for 24 - 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
  • Now that you've waited at least 24 hours and are absolutely desperate to eat these damn cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Transfer your cookie dough to the baking sheets, making sure to leave ~2 inches in between them so they can spread.
  • Sprinkle each cookie dough ball lightly with sea salt (if the salt doesn't stick, spring the cookies lightly with water and then add the salt flakes) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 - 20 minutes.
  • Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies directly onto the rack to cool a bit more. Eat with abandon. Thank the gods for delivering this manna from heaven.

Notes

I usually bake the cookie dough in a few batches, so I have fresh cookies for a few days in a row. Just keep the bowl tightly covered with plastic/beeswax wrap so the dough doesn't dry out in the fridge. You can also freeze these cookies; they'll just need a bit more time in the oven.

Leave a Reply