Your best chocolate chip cookie recipe?

You might want to check out this question from a couple of weeks back.

Check the recipe in “Baking Illustrated” – an incredible book.

@pup, is that the one from cooks illustrated?

Yep. It’s simply amazing. Every recipe is thoroughly diagnosed in their style (“America’s Test Kitchen”) and I haven’t made anything yet that wasn’t perfect and delicious. Baking can be intimidating, but not with that book as a guide.

We love Nestle’s chocolate chip cookies.Sometimes instead of chips use the chocolate chunks.

I read somewhere long ago and it works: To make them chewy, after they are baked, let cookies sit on cookie pan for 2 minutes? and then transfer gently to a plate. (If leave it on pan for a long time, it dries it up, less chewy)

Before you put the 2nd batch of cookie dough on, wait til cookie sheet is completely cooled.

@pup, I am addicted to their other books too. Everyone thinks I am this wicked cook, but truth is I just read well and experiment conservatively. You can’t go wrong with their stuff.

For chewiness – don’t overbake!! Take them out of the oven BEFORE you think they are done, i.e., when they look just barely browned on top and would still squish if you poked your finger in one. As they cool they will harden up a bit but stay chewy.

@Steven: I always say, “if you can read, you can cook.”

Pup: Wrong! I am a terrific reader but death on wheels in the kitchen; I find it boring, try to take short cuts and generally would rather be in Philadelphia.

A high brown sugar to white sugar ratio will give you chewier cookies. The darker the sugar you use (dark brown as opposed to light) the chewier they will be. In addition, melting the butter before mixing it in will cause the gluten in the flour to bond to the water molecules from the melted butter, which will also make the cookies chewier.

If there’s something I know about, it’s cookies.

@gail: OK I’ll qualify: if you can read and follow directions, you can cook. :)

@pup, EXZACTLY!!! Well said.