Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Addie

I don’t know about you, but, for me, a good chewy chocolate chip cookie can just make my day. Several years ago, I watched an episode of Good Eats on the Food Network in which Alton Brown (awesome guy, by the way) talked about the three main ways people like to have their chocolate chip cookies. These three ways included: the chewy, the puffy and the thin. Confession: I am totally a sucker for a good chewy chocolate chip cookie. As for the puffy and the thin: ehh.

I kid. Truthfully, I’m pretty much a sucker for any kind of chocolate chip cookie, though I do prefer the chewy.

Anyways, I tried Alton’s recipe for “the chewy” and absolutely loved it. I’ve used this recipe for years now and, you know what? I’ve never made any changes to it. In my recipe binder (yes, I have a recipe binder and it’s even labeled “Recipes” in case there were any confusion), this recipe has food stains and smears all over it but it lacks any pen scribbles from me. To me, that’s the sign of a great recipe and a messy chef, apparently.

The real key ingredient for this recipe is bread flour. Bread flour has a high amount of gluten, which, when added to water, creates an elastic, rubbery consistency throughout the dough and, subsequently, makes the cookie more chewy. That’s why I use bread flour in my pizza dough recipe as well.

Have these cookies with milk, ice cream or just by themselves…they are super tasty. Thanks, Alton, for a great recipe!

(LACEY - SWEET PEA CHEF)

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups BREAD flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• .................................
• Bread flour has a high amount of gluten, which, when added to water, creates an elastic, rubbery consistency throughout the dough and, subsequently, makes the final product more chewy. That’s why I use bread flour in my cookie and pizza dough recipes.

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!