As I think about National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, officially August 4th, 2018, I can’t help but think of my husband, Mark. The “Honey” in The One Handed Crafter and Her Honey”.
Mark LOVES my chocolate chip cookies and perhaps it’s because they have so much in common. Both my chocolate chip cookies and my husband are sweet, a little ‘crusty’ on the outside yet ‘tender’ inside. Both are ole time favorites loved by everyone from toddlers to the elderly (purposely said ole not OLD because we don’t want to offend those cookies!) When treated with the respect they deserve they will bring continuous smiles to everyone who has the pleasure of being in their company.
My love for baking and cooking has been passed down from my grandma to my mom to me and now to one of my daughters and granddaughter. My other daughter prefers we bake and she eats, LOL.
Before we had Pinterest, heck before the internet, I went on a rampage to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. Everyday for a week I baked and compared, much to my Dad’s delight. Until that point didn’t know there could be so many disastrous cookie recipes in print! Finally, I decided to just create my own version. Here we are 20+ years and literally thousands of chocolate chip cookies later and still folks are begging for them.
Here’s a true story. Last summer our septic tank had serious issues. Mark called the guy who installed it 4 years previously. He came out and after an hour in 102ºF heat, Mark asked him how much we owed. He said when our house was being built, I brought hot homemade chocolate chip cookies for the contractors and he has thought about them often. If I’d be so kind as to make him a big batch, he’d call it even! Needless to say, I baked several batches for him.
Once you’ve got a great base they can be ‘dressed up’ to suit your mood.
Typically, I double the cookie dough then divide so we end up with several different varieties with very little additional effort.
My son Luke’s favorite combo is what we call ‘junk cookies’. Using this basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, I then add all the odds and ends assortments left on my baking cart. It’s a great way to clear out your partial bags of baking supplies.
I’ve listed here, several variations that pop into my head.
- Semi sweet chocolate
- Milk chocolate
- Mint chocolate chips
- Andes mint ‘bits’
- Snickers rough chopped
- Toffee bits with milk chocolate chips
- White chocolate & macadamia nuts
- Raisins & semi sweet chocolate chips (personally my favorite)
- Chopped pretzels & chocolate chips
- Semi sweet chocolate & chopped pecans
- Chopped walnuts & cranraisins
- Coconut & cranraisins
- Chocolate covered raisins or peanuts
- M&M’s – plain or peanut
- Peanut butter chips & semi sweet chips
- Rough chopped peanut butter cups
Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Two things I NEVER do
- never use margarine, always use real BUTTER (leave on counter 20-30 min before using)
- never use cold eggs, use at room temp. You can use lukewarm water in a bowl to take the chill out in just a few seconds.
- never add dry ingredients without sifting. If you don’t have a sifter, put ingredients in a separate bowl and using a fork, stir until well blended
Few things I OFTEN do
- often make cookie dough ‘balls’ using my favorite cookie scoop and then freeze them. On Pinterest you’ll see ‘how-to’s’ that involve freezing dough ‘balls’ on cookie sheets then transfer to freezer bags. Seriously, who’s got time for that? Just put the ‘balls’ into freezer bags and freeze. Better yet, divide into empty containers (I use 16 oz empty cottage cheese or sour cream containers). Once dough is defrosted, it’s good in fridge for 3-5 days.
- often while supper is cooking, I bake just enough cookies for each person to have a few. Otherwise they’ll eat the entire container!
- if possible, preference is to bake as desired rather than bake in larger quantities and then freeze.
This Tea Towel is available on our Etsy Site. To see this towel and other, just click the picture.
One of my favorite ‘gifts’ to give folks is a small ‘bucket’ of chocolate chip cookie dough, the recipe, a small cookie sheet and a cookie scoop. Wrapped in clear plastic with a curly ribbon bow makes a fantastic gift.
Guess I better get baking. My boys won’t appreciate reading about chocolate chip cookies unless they have a stack along with an icy cold glass of milk!
- 1 1/2 cups butter 3 sticks
- 2 large or extra large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or any other combinations including the suggestions below
- Beat butter until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add sugars, vanilla and one egg at a time. Mix well before adding the dry ingredients.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Although it’s an extra step, it’s worth either sifting or stirring dry ingredients well before adding to the butter mixture.
- Mix in dry ingredients.
- Dough will be very stiff.
- Place tbsp of dough 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. I use a heaping cookie scoop and parchment paper.
- Bake 11-13 min at 350.
- Cool 2 min on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack
