The Classics: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Can you believe in two years of baking up treats for this blog I’ve never shared a traditional, classic chocolate chip cookie recipe? I don’t know how it is possible either. I’ve shared Grapefruit & Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies with an Orange Twist, Chocolate Chip Raisin Spice Cookies, and even Decadently Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies - which is pretty close to the classic but still not close enough. If you’re wondering why I have so many recipes, it is because there are few things in this world more rewarding than a plateful of chocolate chip cookies at the end of a long, busy day.
One of the reasons I have not shared the classic chocolate chip cookie here is because I’ve spent the last few years tweaking my recipe. I have a recipe book with nearly 12 different chocolate chip cookie recipes. Every time I make I seem to change some little detail to see what it will do. Well, two years later I’ve found myself going to the same recipe over and over. This is that recipe.
There are a three rules I have about classic chocolate chip cookies regarding the chocolate alone – because let’s face it; the chocolate is the star. First, chocolate should be the only addition – nothing else. Second, there should be two contrasting chocolates in the cookie – enough to give each bite a unique flavor profile but not too many to overwhelm the palate. Third, the chocolate should be chopped so that very large chunks are left.
As for the cookie dough I have a couple rules too. First, the cookies should be just crisp on the edges, and chewy and soft in the center. Second, the flavor of the cookie should be subtle as to highlight the sweetness and the chocolate flavor.
How do I make a cookie meet these five demanding rules?
Chocolate: I use milk chocolate and then a dark chocolate (60-70% cacao) and will cut my own chunks from a good quality chocolate bar. Chocolate chips usually have extra ingredients to help keep their shape that I don’t want to eat, so I never use them. I also like being able to control the size of the chocolate chunks that you can only do using chocolate bars. And chocolate is one of those ingredients where you should be splurging; it makes a huge difference.
Sugar Cookie: To achieve a soft chewy bite with barely-crisp edges, use of bread flower (high gluten content gives a chewier bite) and watch the baking time carefully. Mixing time can also affect texture. The longer you mix the dough the more likely it will become chewier and tough so beware here. To let the sweetness in the cookie, and the complex chocolate flavors come through, I suggest using very little vanilla extract, no other flavorings, and a little more salt than most recipes call for.
Substitutions: I use turbinado sugar and evaporated cane sugar but you can substitute brown sugar and white sugar for both respectively. If you don’t have bread flour you can substitute all-purpose flour.
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 24 medium sized cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 10-15 minutes
Tools:
Large bowl & wooden spoon
Baking sheets lined with parchment paperIngredients:
4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temp.
4 ounces turbinado sugar
2 ounces cane sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 1/2 ounces bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
4 ounces milk chocolate, choppedInstructions:
1. preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Mix the butter and sugar together until completely blended.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix in well.
4. Add the flour, salt and baking soda and mix until the dough just comes together.
5. Add the chopped chocolate and just mix in.
6. Spoon tablespoon sized, or 1″ balls of dough on a baking sheet spread a few inches a part (I usually do 12 per baking sheet in four rows of three).
7. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until just golden brown. If you want very soft (under-baked) cookies, bake for 8 to 9 minutes. If you want a crisper cookie bake for 13 to 15 minutes.
8. Cool on the baking sheets for a minute before removing to a wire rack. For a crisper bottom you can leave the cookies on the baking sheet to cool.
Enjoy!
Russell, that video is fabulous! You seriously cracked me up with your morning routine… leading into baking cookies, which, by the way, look like the perfect recipe.
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Russel, FUN video and I absolutely love that rendition of Dog Days Are Over.
Secretly I’ve got a killer chocolate chip cookie recipe too, that is not on my blog because I’m not ready to share it with the world. :)
I don’t know what I love more, the video or the recipe!
Great job!!
An all bread flour recipe? I have to try this! Chewy cookies >>>> crispy
I lol’d.
I didn’t know that bread flour would work best to keep the cooking crisp yet soft. Saving that tip.
My American half would put chocolate chip cookies at the top of the list every time.
Gah! I’ve been doing it wrong all my life! lol jk
I will definitely give this a try! I use so many different chocolate chip recipes because I can never settle on my favorite one. So! I will give this a shot as well! I can imagine this will end up being on the top of my fav list. :)
It’s funny how everyone has their own rules about the perfect chocolate chip
cookie. I just know that it’s a happy day when you finally find the recipe that meets your criteria! The cookies both sound and look delicious, full
of chocolate, which is one of the biggest rules in my book!
Love the video! And everyone should have a classic chocolate chip recipe up their sleeve – this one looks like a keeper. Yum :-)
No one ever wants to do the basics on their blogs because they think it will be boring. So good for you. They look like pure classic awesomeness.
Nothing reminds me more of my childhood than a pure sense of freedom, endless summer days and a big plate of warm chocolate chip cookies!!!! I’ve got to try your recipe as summer is almost here.
Great recipe on a classic! And I love all of the tips =)
According to my husband, there are never TOO many chocolate chip cookie recipes to try. Yours sound fabulous and will be on my baking list :)
Agreed! A mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate is a must for great chocolate chip cookies. I have pretty much the same criteria as you for my cookies and I was thrilled when, after years and years of testing, I finally got my gluten free version to live up to my high expectations :)
These couldn’t possibly look more delicious! Love the video!!
i agree with you one hundred percent – chocolate chip cookies are, quite simply man’s best invention EVER.
make chocolate chip cookies, not war.
When you do it this way, it feels like i have no other choice but to try out this recipe… I’m browsing through your cookie recipes and getting all flustered and nervous as to which one i should try first!
Your cookies sound perfect! I can see why you keep going back to this recipe, they sound wonderful :)!
Love the video Russel!! There is nothing quite like the classic chocolate chip cookie. It brings such a great level of comfort. Mixing dark and milk chocolate is such a great idea. These look wonderful!
Everyone needs a classic chocolate chip cookie. Nothing beats it. These are beautiful!
Russell…this is just delightful. I thought that was Canino’s! I love going there and need to get back for their cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans….and possibly saffron?? I just love that we are fellow Houston bloggers having such a good time with food videos!
I didn’t get to do enough actual shopping while I was there shooting. I will definitely be heading down there again very soon. And I know! We’ll have to start a group or something – Houston Food Bloggers Who Like To Make Videos.
Awesome video..love it!
Love the video – very light hearted! Love the way you cracked the egg without getting any shell in the bowl.
Great advice for those looking for the perfect cookie recipe :-)
I love chocolate chip cookies much more than any other…I cannot wait to try your version Russell!
What a fun video Russell, nice following you through your day. So interesting that you use bread flour in this chocolate chip cookie recipe. Love the hand cut mix of milk and dark chocolate.
Love ur video…
Loveeee your cookies…
What I love more I dont know.
A classic chocolate chip cookie is a must in everyone’s life right.
B/W Russell if you dont mind me asking what software are you using to edit ur video?
I love the atmosphere of this video as much as I love chocolate cookies
it’s always a pleasure to develop a language with recipes
Thank’s Pascal, France.
Really interesting recipe. I’m not the cookie baker in the house – my wife is – but I certainly know my way around recipes. Yours is different from most, in a good way. Excellent job. And your video is great! Congrats on Rambunctious House! You’ve got talent, so I’m sure you’ll do well. Love the light on the top photo, btw. Great post – thanks.
Is it possible that I could have gone all these years in the blogosphere and not discovered this fab baking blog? I’m so happy I’m here now though! LOVE the photos, LOVE that I actually picked up a useful idea (using two different types of chocolate…so obvious yet so I-want-it-now!!) and LOVE the logo. I’ll be back often!
I love your cookies rules. I’m with you on the necessity of bread flour for chewiness. I haven’t deviated much from the Jacque Torres recipe, probably because it was the first one I made with bread flour and it made such a huge difference. And the two types of chocolate is just pure magic.
Yum to the cookies but I also love your photography with the beams of sunlight across the setting – rather moody.
Totally 100% agree with you on the cut-from-choc-bar strategy! Soooo much nicer than chips with random ingredients in them :)
Love your passion for baking… your posts and video are amazing! Very creative stuff:)
There’s a lot to be said for a classic…especially when it’s a chocolate chip cookie!
Nice video in good short clips, too. Good classic cookie memories you stirred up.
Awww Russell!! I love your video! Your chocolate chip cookies look incredible. I could go for some right now! And I have to say this…your beard is awesome! haha.
These look so yummy! Wow!
You forgot buckwheat chocolate chip cookies, which you featured with a brandy cream filling a few posts ago! Everyone has their favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe, for sure. I love a cookie with a chewy texture, so I’ll definitely try your recipe to see whether it can become my favourite too.
Hi Russell, I love your detailed posts and graphics! Did you design the graphics?
Hello, Tiffany! Thank you very much. I do!
Another fantastic cookie recipes Russell! I totally agree with you on the chocolate chip front, I never use store bought chocolate chips either. I love the differing sizes you get when using chopped chocolate, especially when you get the odd larger chunk. Also, thanks for the tip on using bread flour. I’m definitely going to have to try this!
Your blog is so lovely! And these cookies look divine, I’ll def be making these on the weekend! x
Browning the butter first also gives it crazy flavor depth. I highly suggest doing that. I’ve yet to get it with the correct combo of flavor and texture though–but I like a crispier cookie to a chewier one so it works for me :)
There’s nothing like a classic chocolate chip cookie. Nothing!
I love the idea of using two different kinds of chocolate, and I definitely agree that cut chunks are better than chips!! These are just wonderful!
You have a super cute smile! And Florence was a great background music and your cookies looks wonderful. And this whole blog just makes me twinkle and if you ever had a bakery I would be a regular customer.
And I just wanted to say the cookies are wonderful, I made them in the morning for me and my fiancee and he munched them all by lunch. So double the ingredients and they maybe last till the evening ;)
Have a lovely day guy,
Kat
Beautifully done video. Makes me think that I should really consider trying to make videos, too. Since my camera does have the ability, it seems silly to waste it…
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wow…delicious…thnx for sharing the recipe for chocolate chip cookies !!!!!!!loved the use of different kinds of chocolate :-)loved the video too!!!!
Great video! I think I can smell these beauties, nothing says comfort like a chocolate chip cookie :)
I totally understand. I have half a dozen chocolate cupcake recipes that I have been playing around with. I don’t want to share that recipe with ANYONE until its perfect.
Those cookies look scrumptious. I’ll definitely be giving them a try soon!
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Love this post! I don’t have chocolate chip cookies on my blog either but they are next up because I promised my chocolate chip cookie loving dad that I’d make them for father’s day. Every time I pull another set of tea flavored short bread or some other fancy treat from the oven he asks when I’m going to make some basic chocolate chip cookies.
I’ll be taking your tips for sure!
Love the video and your eyes, mouth -teeth- hands and nose deserve an Oscar as do Alicia’s!!! If there was an Oscar for Chocolate Chip Cookies I’m sure they would get it as well!
The video is great! Thanks for the tips; I will surely be using them!
Love that video! And chocolate chip cookies are always good in my opinion, especially when they’re still a bit warm, mmm….
I never thought to use the addition of bread flour! Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Love the video too!! x
Yum! The mixture is delicious and the biscuits too. Made them last night and just got home and there are none left. Perfect balance of salt to sugar and love the chocolate to dough ratio. Thanks for sharing
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