best.chocolate.chip.cookie.

Whoaa! I know, I am just one out of zillions out there who brags about the best chocolate chip cookie ever (in my case, so far). But hey... baking itself is an art, isn't it? And tastes couldn't be more subjective! And as far as my taste goes, I love cookies that are crisp on the edges with a little chew in the middle. Soft, pillowy cookies are a nay to me!

See, I failed for oh-god-knows-how-many-times each time I attempt to bake cookies... It's funny, as simple as these cookies might seem to whip up, yet I have always ALWAYS ended up with soft/puffy/pillowy/off-textured cookies. No no, not this time... These cookies, in my opinion, has the perfect texture for my liking. It's not too chewy nor it is too buttery/oily. Then, there's a crunch and chew in every bite. Yum-O. I remember reducing the amount of sugar to suit my family's taste.

Then, I made some pillow cookies with Reese's peanut butter cups and Melty Kisses

Yummy! Happy! I think I will stick to this recipe whenever I need a fix for cookies. This, in my opinion, is the perfect chocolate chip cookies! Thanks to David Lebovitz for this recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookies, makes 24 cookies
Adapted from David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
4 ounces (115g) salted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed (110g) dark or light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup (180g) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt
1 1/3 cups (200g) coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate


Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar just until smooth and creamy.

2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. Stir the flour mixture into the beaten butter until combined, then mix in the chopped chocolate (including any chocolate dust) and the chopped nuts.

5. Cover and chill the batter until firm. (It’s preferable to let it rest overnight.)

6. To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

7. Form the cookie dough into rounds about the size of a large unshelled walnut. Place the mounds evenly spaced apart on the baking sheets, and press down the tops to flatten them so they are no longer domed and the dough is even.

8. Bake the cookies for ten minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies look about set, but are not browned.

9. Remove from the oven and quickly tap the top of each with a spatula, then return to the oven for two to five more minutes, until the tops of the cookies are light golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cookies cool.

Storage: The cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to five days in an airtight container. The dough can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for one or two months.