Ask Gina

I really want to make chocolate chip cookies that have the texture of “Chips Ahoy”.  Whenever I make them from scratch they are really flat and too crunchy.  What am I doing wrong?  How do I make my dream Chocolate Chip Cookies??

I feel your pain! Cookies are very dear to me and I was so thrilled to find the chocolate chip cookie recipe of my dreams a few years ago from a small cafe where I was the chef. I am happy to share it with you!

First, let me explain what is going on with most recipes for chocolate chip cookies. The crunchiness has to do with the type and quantity of sugar being used. Of course if too much flour is added that will affect things as well. But let’s get back to the sugar issue. Most recipes call for equal parts white sugar and brown sugar. Brown sugar is brown and slightly moist because molasses has been added to granulated sugar. This added moisture makes the cookie chewy. The recipe I use calls for only brown sugar. The result is a cookie that is chewy all throughout with a slightly crispy edge. Mmmmm!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1# butter-room temperature
4c brown sugar
4 eggs-room temperature
2T vanilla
4c flour
2t baking soda
2t salt
3.5c chocolate chips or 1# of chopped bittersweet chocolate

-cream the butter and sugar
-add the eggs one at a time until incorporated
-add the vanilla
-in a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients
-add the dry ingredients in thirds to the butter and egg mixture
-be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula so that all the ingredients are mixed evenly
-add the chocolate
-portion the cookies into equal sizes, it is easier to do if the dough has been chilled first and the chilled dough bakes more evenly
-bake at 350?F until golden, the cooking time will depend on the portion of each cookie

At home I will make a batch of cookie dough, portion them all out, place them on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer. Once they are frozen I put them in a ziplock bag for future use. When I want a batch of cookies I just preheat the oven and pop in the cookies. You don’t have to wait for them to thaw, they will just take a few minutes longer in the oven.

A few notes on portioning cookie dough. I use a scale to weigh the chilled dough because I happen to have one on hand. Two ounces is a nice size for a cookie. If you don’t have a scale, a small ice cream scoop will work, or you can just eye it.  Once the dough has been weighed or portioned, roll it between your palms to smooth out the rough edges. Then you are ready to bake! The reason I am giving you all these details about portioning cookies is because it really makes a big difference in the final product. The cookies bake evenly because they are all the same size and they look really professional.