Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been wanting to try my hand at more baking projects and while there are literally hundreds of possibilities this one had several things going for it.  Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies.  I had all necessary ingredients in my pantry.  Barely.  I was scraping the bottom of the flour container, the sugar bowl, and the butter dish.  But I made it.

Plus, who am I to argue with perfection?  (Disclaimer: This is not my tag line but the name of the recipe on the website on which it was found - Sweet Pea's Kitchen.)

Recipe:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (In the absence of parchment paper, I sprayed the baking sheets with cooking spray.  It worked.)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.

3. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt 10 tablespoons of butter.  Continue cooking, swirling constantly, until butter is golden-brown in color and has a nutty aroma, about 1-3 minutes.  Remove butter from heat and add to heat proof bowl.  Add remaining butter to hot butter and stir until all butter is melted.

4. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla extract to butter and whisk until fully incorporated.  Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds.  Let rest 3 minutes then whisk again for 30 seconds.  Repeat whisking and resting process 2 more times, until mixture is smooth, shiny, and thick.

5. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips until no flour pockets remain.

 (Confession: I could eat this right out of the bowl.  I am a cookie.  dough.  fiend.)

6. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons per cookie.  Roll each portion into  ball and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

7. Bake cookies one baking sheet at a time until edges are golden brown but center is still puffy and soft, about 10-14 minutes (11 minutes seemed perfect for me - I like mine slightly gooey in the center).  (This does make very large cookies.  If you don't like your cookies the size of your hand, you could probably just make smaller balls and adjust the cooking time.)

8. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and cool completely before serving.

Nutritional Information:
Butter, two kinds of sugar, white flour, eggs....  I don't think we need to know more than that.

But since I used dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, my version is healthy, right?  Recent studies show that dark chocolate may contain more antioxidants than red wine or green tea.  So I'm not indulging in dessert; I'm fighting cancer.

So there.

Plus, we didn't actually eat this entire batch of cookies.  The only way I am going to be able to experiment with baking and not gain 20 pounds is to share the love.  After enjoying them at home for a couple of days - off to the hospital with Alex they went this morning! 

Verdict:
I know what you're all thinking: did these cookies live up to their name?  Are they the perfect chocolate chip cookies?  To really consider myself qualified to answer that question, I will of course need to taste every chocolate chip cookie recipe ever invented.

Since that would not be a positive life choice, let's just say that these were really freaking delicious! 

I skimmed several online and cook book recipes to see what might make this recipe stand out, and I think one of the differences is the way the butter is prepared.  So that's something.  But I particularly loved that I could taste both the brown sugar and vanilla in the finished product.  Few things in life are better than brown sugar, vanilla, and chocolate. 

Microwave your cookie for about 15 seconds before serving and you will be in heaven.  Heaven.  Deliriously happy with the melting chocolate concoction in front of you.

Giving these away was not easy.

You know what?  These cookies aren't quite perfect after all.  Because the perfect chocolate chip cookie?  Well, it would have to taste this good and be calorie free.

Obviously.