Chocolate Chip Cookies

By linda1949

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour (if using self-rising, omit baking soda and salt)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 pkgs. (6 oz. each) semisweet chocolate pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix thoroughly shortening, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Blend in remaining ingredients. (For a softer, rounder cookie, add 1/2 cup flour.)

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet. Makes about 7 dozen cookies.

**To bake fresh cookies on short notice, keep a supply of cookie dough in the freezer. Wrap it in an airtight freezer container, aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Thaw it until just soft enough to spoon onto baking sheet. Both cookie dough and baked cookies can be frozen and stored from 9 to 12 months.