Cookies out of the oven quiet everything. Even the loudest afternoon settles when the chocolate is still warm and the whole kitchen smells like brown butter and vanilla.
\n\n\n\nWe bake these together almost every Friday. My son handles the measuring. My daughter handles the chocolate chips, which means she also handles eating the chocolate chips. Nobody minds. The dough chills in the fridge while we do homework, and by the time the oven timer goes off, the week is officially over.
\n\n\n\nSally’s Baking Addiction is the reason I started chilling cookie dough. It sounded fussy until I tried it and realized it is the entire difference between flat, crispy disappointments and those thick, gooey cookies you see in bakery windows. Cold dough, parchment paper, and pulling them out when they still look underdone — that is the whole formula.
Soft-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days). This is the secret to thick cookies — cold dough spreads less.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring.
