Friday, February 10, 2012

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies



I have made countless chocolate chip cookies since I was a kid. I remember making cookie dough with my sister and never actually baking a single cookie because we liked the dough better. I also remember have a big belly ache after we were done. Every cookie I made was only really good right out of the oven and hard as a rock about 30 minutes later. 


I found City Bakery here in NYC from the Martha Stewart show. I traveled all the way down to Chelsea just to try this tart that they featured on her show. The tarts were expensive and amazing. I also discovered the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. It was exactly was a chocolate chip cookie should be crispy on the outside and chewy in the inside. After that cookie I decided I was on a mission to figure out how to make mine the same way. 


I watched the food Network where Alton Brown broke down why a cookie is cakey, crispy, flat and chewy. I tried applying what I learned and still couldn't get it right. I googled how to make City Bakery chocolate chip cookie and found an article where the baker, Maury Rubin revealed some tips on how he makes his cookies. Oh boy was I excited and this is the recipe that came to be.

Tips: Use cold butter instead of room temperature, Have dough sit in the refrigerate for at least 24 hours (I can never make it that long but noticed the longer they sit the better they are), and DON'T OVER COOK. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. Flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
1/2 c. sugar plus 2 tbs
1/2 c. brown sugar plus 2 tbs (tightly packed)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 c. chocolate chips

Directions

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter on medium speed until pale yellow. Add sugars and vanilla. Cream together until smooth. 

Add egg on low and stop once incorporated. You don't want to over mix

On low speed, add flour mixture until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and using a wooden spoon combine chocolate chips. 

Scoop dough into balls with small ice cream scoop into a container and refrigerate for the day. Bake at 375 degree about 2 inches apart for 10 to 14 minutes. I like to turn the pan after 10 minutes of cooking and cook another 2 to 4 minutes. 

Give these a try and I promise you will see a difference. You can also freeze them just like this and bake right out of the freezer. You will have to bake a little longer but still same result. 

57 comments:

  1. Love the idea of making a big batch of these on a weekend and storing in the freezer to pull out whenever the craving strikes!

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  2. Oh I like that they're schooped out before the refrigeration! These look delicious, I love chewy cookies! Yum!

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  3. These look buttery delicious and chewy :D
    I am glad you have discovered your true love recipe in chocolate chip cookies!
    Wonderful blog!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru @ Go Bake Yourself
    Latest: 3 Layer Brownie Cheesecake

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  4. I've never used cold butter when making cookies. Uh, I may have to try that tip. And leaving the cookie dough in the fridge, well, that would be hard to do, but I would definitely give it a try. These look wonderful. I love a good chocolate chip cookie! Thanks.

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  5. Great recipe! Have you tried making them with whole wheat pastry flour? Maybe make them a little more healthy? I'll give it a try and let you know how they turn out!

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    1. No, I haven't. However, if I am out and see it I am happy to try it.

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  6. these cookies look fabulous...will definitely be trying this soon!!

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  7. I love City Bakery! Everytime I'm in NYC I go there for Hot Chocolate and these cookies. I can't wait to try this recipe

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    1. I've never tried the hot chocolate but I used to LOVE their tarts. When you try the recipe let me know how they turned out.

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  8. Those look amazing! I'm pinning this one! It's so hard for me to put the dough in the fridge, but when I'm done I only bake up one pan, put the rest back in the fridge, and then have ready-to-go-cookie dough for at least a week! (Wow...sorry about the run-on sentence!) Anyways, I'm excited to try this!

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  9. these look wonderful! nothing better than the perfect chocolate chip cookie. thanks for sharing!

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  10. Great looking cookies- I just recently came to the same conclusions re: chocolate Chip Cookies as you- they are best with part brown sugar and the dough kept as cold as possible before baking and don't overbake! Looking forward to checking out more of your food.

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  11. I love a good chocolate chip cookie! I agree, they should be crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. These look like the perfect example of that.

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  12. Mmmmm Nothing like a perfect choc chip cookie :) Great post!

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  13. These really do look delicious. This is my first visit to your site and I've spent some time browsing and getting to know the place. I'm so glad I did that. I really like the food and recipes you share with tour readers and I'll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  14. I love these cookies! They look yummy!

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  15. These are making me so hungry for something sweet! I had also recently read about chilling chocolate chip cookie dough for at least 24 hours and tried it a couple of weeks ago. It made an incredible difference in the flavor of the cookies. It is so hard to wait that long, but so worth it in the end. I am excited to try your recipe--I'm like you, always looking for 'the' chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  16. Nothing beats a good choc chip cookie! Great idea about saving the frozen scoops and then baking when you're craving.

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  17. Newest follower too!!!! Everything looks amazing!!! And you have quite a fast following too, you are def doing something right. Now please excuse me, I have to go gawk everything else you have going on here! :)

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  18. Andrea, these cookies look so addictive. Ooo...just the way I want it. Thanks for sharing. Hope you're enjoying your lovely weekend.
    Cheers
    Kristy

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  19. I love the City Bakery. Have you tried the Pretzel Croissant? These cookies look great. Even with all of the creative cookies at there I always come back to the chocolate chip cookie.

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    1. I haven't ever tried the pretzel croissant but I always want to. I have so many other choices and they are not cheap that I always ended up with other pastries.

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  20. Your cookies look absolutely delicious! I'd be eating the frozen scoops! Cookie dough is so irresistible.

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  21. These look so yummy! I will definitely be making them! :)

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  22. Thank you so much for inviting me to stop by your blog! Your pictures are awesome, and I l-o-v-e the idea of storing the pre-scooped portions! I can't wait to check out more recipes :))
    -Rachael
    www.allkindsofyumm.com

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  23. I love chocolate chip cookies so much and am always on the quest for the "perfect" recipe. I'll be giving yours a try for sure! thank you!

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  24. These look absolutely delicious! I like that you have a glass of milk there in your picture, as that is the perfect way to have them.... mmmm

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  25. love the pictures, love the recipes. totally have to give them a try!

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  26. Those look amazing, I want to reach through the screen and grab one!
    -Jana-
    http://exploringlearningenhancing.blogspot.com/

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  27. Wow! These look great! Must try and make them myself!

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  28. These really are the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, yum! I could never get tired of decadent chocolate chip cookies. Thanks for sharing, have a great weekend! =]

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  29. Thanks for telling me about your blog. Ill try these cookies. Chocolate chip are my very most favorite kind of cookie. Thanks again.

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  30. These look amazing! The photography is great too! :-)

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  31. Thanks for the tips... now i know how to make cakey, crispy, flat and chewy cookies!! Nice meeting you @ food buzz

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  32. I think everyone is on their own quest to find the perfect chocolate chip recipe. Thanks for posting this! I'll definitely be trying it out!

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  33. Hey Andrea,

    These look Yummy ! Love to try this recipe.

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  34. I made these yesterday for a holiday function with my toddler and I doubled recipe so we had extras. My husband says they are perfect and he is very specific with his cookie taste! Crispy, chewy and wonderful! Thank you for this perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe!

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    1. Im so happy to hear they turned out so great. I am just like your husband and is why it took me years to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for letting me know.

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  35. Oh yum, they look so very good!!

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  36. Hi!

    Do you think m&m's would work in place of chocolate chips? Thought that might look festive and fun for the kids. Not sure if the colors would start to run in the fridge? Let me know what you think.

    Thank you!

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    1. I'm sure they would work just fine. Because the dough is quite cold before you put it in the fridge I doubt they would run. However, the reason I never use m&m's in my cookies is because they always run while I bake them and I don't think they turn out all that great. If you try it let me know how it turns out.

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    2. OK. Will do! My almost 3 yr old is dying to make m&m cookies. Thanks for getting back to me:)!

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  37. Since I've already had the pleasure of trying and loving these cookies, I decided I would try to make them myself. The dough is chilling right now. I'll let you know how they turn out.

    ~B

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  38. You can never have too many Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes. I have tried the NY Times recipe where the dough has to sit 3 days in the refrigerator. 3 days!! Yours with a 24 hr wait, more doable.

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  39. Your cookies are georgous Andrea ! The last picture really looks like ice cream scoops hehe. What's you favorite cookie in NYC ? I love the ones from J. Torres and Ovenly.

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    1. Thanks. My favorite and was what inspired me to make these is the chocolate chip cookie from City Bakery. I've never tried J. Torres but plan to soon.

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  40. I have tried a lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years and this one is the best! I especially like the crispiness of the cookie on the outside and the chewiness of the inside. I was not able to wait the required day in the fridge and only lasted 2 hours but there was no reason to worry as they turned out perfectly anyway. This will be my new 'go to' recipe, thanks!

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    1. Thanks. I am happy to finally come up with an easy no fail cookie that I love. Glad you love it as well.

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  41. These are the best chocolate chip cookies. And they are so easy. Thanks for sharing

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  42. Hey Andrea! I just tried these cookies yesterday and refrigerated them overnight.. Lemme just say that they were pretty delish! The only problem was that they were getting brown from the bottom a little too fast and were a bit gooey in the middle. Any tips on how to prevent this? Also, I made these with Hershey's chocolate chips.. the whole family loved them! :)

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    1. It could be the pan you are using. It could be your oven gets to hot and you need to turn down the heat. I'm sorry that is happening. Try turning the heat down to 325 and see if that helps. If not the pan may be not heating right. Let me know if that helps.

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  43. Perfection!!
    I use very good chocolate chips
    It makes them very delicious

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