Cook With Brooke: Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you know me, you know that I have the biggest sweet tooth. It’s a deep-rooted daily craving that I inherited from my grandmother–which can at times prove to be as much of a con as it is a pro. With my love for sugar, however, comes an increased knowledge of baking. More specifically … chocolate chip cookies.

Over the 2020 quarantine, I tested out approximately 20 different recipes and have deemed the tasty chewy desserts my go-to mix. I have made countless batches for my friends, coworkers, roommates and family members throughout the years and they all immediately ask what I put into my delectable creations. And, I am no “gatekeeper,” so here is my secret to instant smiles and full tummies. 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 oz Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and place parchment paper on a baking sheet. I like the Reynolds Kitchen Cookie Baking Sheets because they’re pre-cut to the perfect size. 
2. Whisk together both sugars, salt and melted butter until a paste forms with no lumps.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Pour in the dry ingredients with the wet, and fold them in together.
5. Pour in the chocolate chips and mix them in the dough. Then, store the mix in the fridge for 30 minutes. 
6. Gather a large ball of dough and place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I like cookies that take at least six large bites to finish, so my balls of dough are usually two inches wide. 
7. Insider tip: top the balls with extra chocolate chips on top so that when it melts, they are shown too. I put around five per cookie. 
8. Give them space to breathe so that when they form, they do not bake onto each other. 
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the dough starts to crack and turn golden. 

The downside of this recipe is that its shelf life is two days maximum before it starts tasting stale. For best results, I would suggest eating them within the first 24 hours of baking. So, either plan to bring these to a potluck or prepare to eat seven cookies by yourself. Either way, it’s usually a win-win for me.