The Next BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie

A chewy, chocolately cookie thats just about perfect

Chocolate chip cookies. These days, everyone with a blog seems to be on the endless search for  The Perfect Recipe. I know I have been anyways.

             Hundreds of great bakers, sites, and articles claim to have found "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies."  Well I tend to dissagree with all the ones I've tried.  Everyone has their own idea of the perfect cookie. Some like them chewy, some like them soft and cakey, while others prefer the crisp, wafery-type cookies which I quite frankly, dont consider a cookie at all. However, after trying 4 different recipes yesterday and countless others over the last few years, I think I've found a winner.

            I've scoured different sites, books and reviews, as well as experimenting on my own quite a bit, trying every technique out there.  I prefer them chewy in the middle and crisp on the edges, which can be somewhat of a challenge to accomplish.  I've tried one recipe that claims scalding the butter is the secret to perfect cookies.  Another one calls for both cake flour and bread flour, and another incorporates vanilla puddding into the dough. None of these have really excited me in the least.  Most cookie recipes are delicious fresh from the oven, but lose their appeal 24 hours later.

             Another pet peeve of mine is the recipes that claim you MUST mix dry ingredients seperately.  From my experience, the cookies turn out no different if you add in the dry ingredients one at a time, ending with the flour.  So save yourself from washing yet another bowl!

             This recipe is my pick for the easiest, and best cookie both fresh and days later.  It has a combination of butter and shortening, which is definitely a key component in chewy cookies.  The butter gives it the great flavor and keeps the edges crisp, while the shortening keeps the cookies nice and moist.  It also calls for chopping the chocolate chips, but the cookies turn out just as good if you leave them whole. So take my word for it and add this cookie recipe to your plentiful stash. You won't be dissapointed! :)

The Next BEST Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients:3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup light brown sugar. packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg

1 large egg yolk
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of malted milk powder
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, chopped with food proccessor

1 cup chopped nuts, optional ( I used pecans)

Directions:

Beat shortening, butter, and sugars on medium speed until well blended. Add sugars and vanilla beating until no lumps remain; about 3 minutes.  Blend in eggs and milk powder.  Slowly add in rest of dry ingredients one at a time, beating well after each addition. form dough ball and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.  Store in air tight container and enjoy for up to a week! Dough also freezes very well. 



If you love the dough as much as the cookie, ( like me) you'll be hooked on this stuff.





What could be better?
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