The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Not all chocolate chip cookies are the same and I've been told by Mikey himself that I make perfect chocolate chip cookies. There are a couple of reasons for that fact.

One, practice makes perfect and I've made so many I don't even use a recipe anymore. However there are a few secrets that I will share with you in making this delicious cookie.



Let's start with the sugar: most recipes call for equal amounts of brown and granulated sugars. I use more brown sugar than granulated, one cup of brown and half a cup of granulated. That gives the cookie a deeper, richer flavor.

Next, don't over-whip your butter and sugar until it's too light and fluffy. The cookie becomes too airy.

Extra, pure vanilla extract is a must; two teaspoons is what I go with. And here's a big secret, a few pinches of cinnamon, approximately a quarter teaspoon, but I've never actually measured. The eggs can be added one at a time.

At this point, dry ingredients should be added, starting with the baking soda, which not only causes a rise in the cookie but also aids in the browning process. Your flour should be unbleached all-purpose and I prefer Trader Joe's over any other. At each step, make sure everything is mixed thoroughly before adding the next ingredient.

I can't stress the importance of a good mixer. My favorite is the Kitchen Aid brand. It will save you tons of labor and has many functions, cookie making being just one. The basic model has three mixing tools and will get you started on years and years of baking as it will last a lifetime.

Now the star of this cookie is, after all, the chocolate chip itself. Don't cheap out on this main ingredient, I only use Ghirardelli 60 percent cacao bittersweet chips. It makes a huge difference in the quality of your cookie. Your chips should be hand mixed in so as not to break them.

Lastly, I mix in the salt by hand. One teaspoon of this is a key ingredient, it brings up and out all the flavors and raises that cookie to the awesome level. This is especially important since we use unsalted butter. For baking I use professional quality sheet pans, no pan coating should be needed, just a good spatula.

Two things to keep in mind as you slide your cookies into the oven:

• under-set your timer and check those cookies regularly
• rotate the sheet pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking

The edges should be browned, the center slightly under set, as it will finish baking when you leave the cookies on the pan for one minute after taking them from the oven. Then, on to the cooling rack.

There you have it, a perfect chocolate chip cookie that your friends and family will rave about. Get used to being the person that everyone wants cookies from. Happy baking!!

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher
1 bag Ghirardelli chocolate chips (11.5 ounce)

2 sticks (half pound) unsalted room temperature butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs

Let's Talk Brown Sugar Cookies

Almost all cookies begin the same way: the creaming of butter and sugar. However, if you want the best brown sugar cookie, leave the creaming to other cookie recipes. To make these brown sugar cookies, the butter must be browned. This takes time, patience, and also complete focus. Second, that extra egg yolk is a must for that chewy texture. Lastly, yes - you do need that pure vanilla extract for that over the top flavor.

For you novice bakers, follow the recipe exactly. After a few times baking these cookies, you'll know what steps can be cut to make it less complicated. When browning the butter, a medium temperature is recommended and once the browning starts, let it get dark brown for a richer, deeper-flavored cookie.

Make sure you get all those pockets of flour mixed in, they hide rather well. Extra dough can be refrigerated for emergency cookie use, as this recipe makes a whole bunch of cookies.

Enjoy!


Ingredients
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cup brown sugar; packed
2 cup unbleached flour; plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


1. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.

3. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

4. Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, rolling between hands into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches.)

5. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone; see photo below), 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.

6. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.