These cookies are giant in size, but they don't overbake because they are scooped on to parchment paper and baked at only 325 degrees. Allow me to share the recipe, originated by America's Test Kitchen, and the changes that I have made to "Big and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies!"
Listed to make about 20 cookies (my output is usually about 16, but I also usually eat some batter)
Listed prep time: 5 minutes. (It's easy but not THAT easy. Prep time for me is usually about 10 minutes.)
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (I always use kosher)
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted ****
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 (additional) large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I have always omitted this because I'm allergic to vanilla.)
12-ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips ****
****For a dairy-free version of this recipe, omit the butter and use butter-flavored Crisco instead. Butter-flavored Crisco actually is dairy-free. Also, make certain that you use GHIRADELLI Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. They truly are dairy-free and are the only good dairy-free ones that I ever tasted.
1. Put your oven racks in upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
3. Beat the melted butter (or Crisco!) and both sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, one or two minutes. Then add in the eggs, additional egg yolks, and vanilla if you're using it and beat for about 30 more seconds. Scrape down the bowl if needed.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour/baking soda/salt mixture about 30 seconds. To add the chocolate chips, I always disengage the bowl from the mixer and hand-stir them in. Remember, Ghiradelli semi-sweet!
5. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and use a 1/4-cup scoop (seriously, buy one--they make it so easy), or otherwise put in 1/4-cup size balls, onto the sheets. Only put six cookies on a sheet because they really are big! Bake until the edges are golden but centers are soft and puffy, which for me is 17-18 minutes. Halfway through baking time, switch and rotate the pans.
6. Let the cookies cool on their sheets for ten minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack like the one pictured above to keep cooling. Or, just eat them. If you can eat more than one and a half at a time, I salute you and call you my sweet-toothed superior!
Enjoy, my friends! And please don't sue me, America's Test Kitchen.
Thanks for this recipe. I plan to make them for S&P this weekend. I will make sure they know It is your recipe. It was so wonderful to see you this week. Thanks for making the trip. It made a big difference. You are truly a remarkable friend....Linda
ReplyDeleteLinda, there is no way that I could have NOT come this week. Owen, Sommer, Pete, and Ellie are just too special. I'm so sorry for your loss. It was good to see you this week too, and good luck with all of your baking for Sunday! I can imagine that Owen can now taste the glories of your baking since he is full-bodied in Heaven!
DeleteJenny, any other dairy free options aside from Crisco? Doesn't that have trans fat? Could I use coconut oil instead? :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Whitney! The butter-flavored Crisco in my house says "0g Trans Fat Per Serving." Perhaps this means there is no trans fat, or perhaps it means there is less than one gram per serving?? I'm not really sure. I would never purport to be a nutrition expert, that's for sure, nor do I make the most obviously healthy food choices. So, if there are trans fats in it, I made it and I guess I happily ate them! That aside, try the coconut oil and please tell me what you think!! This was one crazy thing about this diet--- lots of trial and error, and lots of being creative! I would love to hear your ideas!
DeleteI did notice the crisco has soybean oil as the main ingredient, did this pose a problem for your little one? Also, the ghiradelli semi-sweet says may contain milk, did you worry about products that said this?
ReplyDeleteStephanie, I'm sorry that it took me so long to respond to this! Regarding the chocolate chips, I believe that they remark "May contain milk" because they are made in a facility that produces products with milk in them. I had read that it's possible that, in between cleanings on equipment, they might use that same equipment to make a chocolate chip that does contain milk. If your allergy is life-threatening, I wouldn't risk it! However, it never posed a problem for us. As far as the Crisco, you are correct that the main ingredient is soybean oil. I believe that it is refined enough that it never caused a problem for George. Even now at 3-1/2 years old, George still breaks out if he eats soy sauce. Crisco hasn't caused a problem, though he does not eat it in large quantities, of course!
DeleteHi! I don't know if they changed the recipe, but I bought these chocolate chips and they have milk powder listed as one of the ingredients. Doesn't that mean they are no longer dairy free??
ReplyDeleteOh no! Stephanie, you're absolutely right! I just looked at their website and there is a note about how they just changed ingredients and they are no longer dairy free. :( A slew of unhappy moms left reviews about it too. How unfortunate. I will update the post. The site said that the 70% cocoa bar is dairy free. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
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