I am forever on a quest for the best chocolate chip cookie. It's no easy feat- there are so many to choose from. Do I want a chewy cookie, a soft cookie, a crisp cookie...? I'm the world's most indecisive person when it comes to food so I don't think I'll ever know the answer. I'm so bad at choosing what I want when I go out to eat (usually because I want it all), I occasionally let my boyfriend order for the table. Maybe that's super 1950's of me but it takes the pressure off and it's a fun surprise when it gets to the table. Otherwise I'd end up ordering the same thing over and over again. I'm a creature of habit.
I think I get that trait from my dad. Whenever we would go on a vacation in a foreign country, instead of dealing with 4 kids picking their dinner from a menu written in a foreign language, my dad would simply ask the chef to "feed us". And it always ended up being the BEST experience. So many surprises would show up at the table and we would all eat without knowing exactly what it was, all while debating what was our favorite dish.
But back to cookies- I've been to NYC a decent amount of times and I've yet to make it to Levain Bakery. I know, sue me. They apparently have one of the best chocolate chip cookies out there. And since I can't jet up to New York to try one at the moment, I did the next best thing. Made them at home! I found this recipe from Broma Bakery and as far as I can tell, she was spot on. I ate half the cookie dough before I even got it in the oven, which isn't necessarily unusual... but it was one of the best cookie doughs I've ever eaten. And I've taste tested a lot of cookie doughs. #TuckThePuppy is low-key begging for one right now... so you know it's good.
Yield: 12 GIANT cookies
INGREDIENTS
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (I used King Arthur Unbleached AP Flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder ( I used Clabber Girl)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
¾ cup + 4 teaspoons (6 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, cold, lightly beaten in a separate bowl
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate baking chips)
DIRECTIONS
Line a large baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until it comes together in one lump, about 1 minute. Add in the sugars and beat for another 1-2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves into the butter. Lower the speed to medium-low, and mix in the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed (the batter will be lumpy). Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating until a little flour remains. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
Divide the dough into 12 even pieces. Shape the dough roughly into a ball, but do not roll it. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but up to 12 hours before baking.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until light golden brown. When in doubt, take your cookies out early. The cookies will continue to cook as they cool. There's nothing that ruins them more than being overcooked. I can't stress this enough! Cool on a wire rack, then serve!
NOTES
This recipe works best if:
-You undercook the cookie. It keeps baking as it cools, so be sure to take it out of the oven early.
-Use large chocolate chips. They create those beautiful melted chocolate puddles inside your cookie!