CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

– First and foremost the butter must be cold and cut into cubes, which helps the cookies keep a taller shape and not flatten when baking to become thin and crispy. Cutting it into cubes allows the butter to cream together with the sugars easier especially since it is cold butter. Cold butter is harder to work with.

– Creaming the butter and sugars together will take some time because the butter is solid, hard and cold. Trust the process though it will eventually incorporate with the sugar. Leave it mixing long enough for the sugars and butter to cream together until it turns slightly pale in color and fluffy in texture. This process is important because it allows air to enter into the mixture which will produce a thicker cookie and not spread so easily. When comparing the creamed butter after one minute vs 4-5 it goes from a wet like sand that is heavier and more dense whereas mixing for longer creates a light, airy and fluffy texture. The air that gets trapped inside when mixing also creates more volume.

– Add the eggs one at a time and mix for about 20 seconds after each one. Next add the vanilla.

– I use both cornstarch and baking soda as a leavener. Corn starch makes for a chewier cookie that is still gooey but rises really well to make for a thicker cookie. Add this with all the dry ingredients and mixing until just incorporated, do not want to overmix at this stage.

– Chocolate chips – the most important part of any dessert that involves chocolate. I always recommend using a higher quality chocolate, it adds way better flavor and just bakes so much better. I tend to go for Ghirardelli, Valrhona, and a few others. Add as much or as little chocolate you like, THE MORE THE MERRIER! I love chocolate chip cookies especially when they are loaded in! There is never enough chocolate in cookies, I want each bite to have tons of chocolate in it.