The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Chocolate chip cookies

Zuhair's picture
Zuhair

Chocolate chip cookies

Hi guys, I need your help. I'm on a quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookies. Going for soft and chewy, with nice nutty, browned flavor. Any suggestions?

MonkeyDaddy's picture
MonkeyDaddy

I ever made were done on my pizza stones.  

I use a recipe for chewy chocolate cookies from one of the Pillsbury's Best Recipes series (the book is in storage, or I'd get you the exact title and page numbers,) and do all the baking on stones.  I have three stones going at a time: one in the oven, one loaded with the next batch ready to go in, and the third is the last one out of the oven cooling on a rack.  I have to do it this way because the stoneware takes so long to cool off, but by the time the loaded one goes in the cooling one is cooled enough to start loading with the next batch.  

The stoneware takes longer to heat in the oven so the cookies are, technically, slightly underdone in the middle when I take them out.  But the cool thing is the stone absorbs moisture from the the surface of the cookie so they're nice and crispy on the outside.  Then I place them in ziplock backs after they're cool.  While they're in the bags that little bit of moisture in the inside softens up the cookies as they sit and they are perfection when you take them out to eat.

maples.matt.confirm@gmail.com's picture
maples.matt.con...

These is a nice article on the breakdown of different ingredients and technique over at Kitchen Nostalgia. This should help you fine tune a recipe to your needs.

 

http://www.kitchennostalgia.com/desserts/cookies/best-ever-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

killer!  Love the browned butter, caramelized sugar and overnight retard and then tearing the cookies in half and putting the inside out right before baking 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

killer!  Love the browned butter, overnight retard and then tearing the cookies in half and putting the inside out right before baking 

TFL Gremlin is back!

Zuhair's picture
Zuhair

@monkeydaddy Hmm, never heard of that, definitely got to try that. Thanks!

@nullbort the food lab! kenji is my food hero. 

thanks for the suggestions!

dobie's picture
dobie

.

embth's picture
embth

or perhaps Dobie has been rendered speechless by the image of tearing a cookie in half and exposing its innards.  A call to P.E.T.C. may be in order!  : )

dobie's picture
dobie

embth

Only that I wish it was not by my own stupidity (tho gremlins have been re-appearing lately).

And, actually, speachless would be the word. I only mean the '.' to be a tracker for me, so that I can more easily keep aware of the proceedings. Yet so far, I have nothing of significants to offer.

Don't worry, I get (and give) the love too.

dobie

ps - what does 'P.E.T.C.' stand for?

embth's picture
embth

People for the Ethical Treatment of Cookies

AlanG's picture
AlanG

I don't weight out cookie ingredients but rather rely on volume measurements.  I probably should standardize it someday.

  • 1 stick butter softened (4 oz)
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 C AP Flour
  • 1C Rolled Oats
  • 1/4 C wheat germ
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 C chopped nuts if desired

In a mixer or by hand blend the sugar, egg, vanilla, and butter until smooth.  Add the rolled oats and wheat germ to a food processor and blend until you have a coarse powder.  Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder and pulse until blended.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until blended (it's a somewhat dry batter).  Add in the chocolate chips and nuts (if desired).  I bake golf ball size cookies on a sheet at 350 degrees with convection for 8 minutes.  The should just start browning on the top.

It's a pretty easy recipe but the results are great. 

 

drogon's picture
drogon

Not going to get into any debate on units tonight, but just to note that tomorrow I'll be going into my local processed & fermented milk emporium (Country Cheeses in Ticklemore St., Totnes) and buying 2 sticks of butter. They're about 4Kg each ;-)

When I was living & working in the US (some 20+ years back), I did find it odd to find a box of butter containing individually wrapped sticks, but I guess it makes it easy to measure stuff like this.

-Gordon

embth's picture
embth

AlanG….an update...the chocolate chip cookies made following your recipe were a big hit at a Saturday winter sports event for kids.    Thank you again….Embth

MonkeyDaddy's picture
MonkeyDaddy

What altitude are you at?  I like the look of your recipe but at 5,900 feet I usually need to tweak my cookie recipes by backing off on the fat or sugar or increasing the flour a bit.  Otherwise, I end up with what look like lumpy pancakes rather than nice plump cookies.

     --Mike

AlanG's picture
AlanG

and we are about 200 feet above sea level.  I've not had any experience baking at altitude so I cannot help you there.  However, I'm happy to invite anyone who wants to see an epic snow storm to stop by today.  We are expecting about 2 feet (60 cm) of snow when all is said and done.  I finished baking bread this morning and will bake cookies this afternoon as I expect we will lose power at some point during the storm.

dosco's picture
dosco

@AlanG: I bought some buckwheat flour and some extra KAF Bread Flour for the weekend. Our place (on the East side of the DC metro area, closer to Annapolis) doesn't normally lose power (only had 3 outages in the last 10 years) although it's always a possibility. It might be entertaining to bake a loaf in by Dutch Oven in the fireplace ...

Good luck and be safe.

:)

-Dave

 

MIchael_O's picture
MIchael_O

Good recipe, the leavening seems more than usual. I was thinking the recipe would call for 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder.

 

dariusjgeorge's picture
dariusjgeorge

Hey All. I have used pillsbury chocolate chips and I didn't find them to be that great. Any one with some suggestions on where I can get some chocolate chips of good quality in Dubai?

YellowApple's picture
YellowApple

I also have very good recipe! If you like oatmeal cookies No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

IceIceCream's picture
IceIceCream

I can recommend these desserts, very easy and for any occasion https://momblogsociety.com/31-amazing-desserts-for-your-child/