CI's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I recently watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen devoted to cookies, one of which was "The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie".  What was their idea of perfect?  A soft and chewy cookie that remains that soft and chewy, even the following day.

Based on the traditional Toll House recipe, this version incorporated some non-traditional techniques which piqued my curiosity.  1 - instead of creaming softened butter and sugar together, some of the butter is melted and carefully browned to develop a nutty, caramelized flavor.  2 - the remaining butter is then stirred in to the browned butter to stop the cooking process.  3 - both sugars, eggs, and vanilla are added to the melted butter; whisking and resting, in three phases, until the sugars liquefy before the remaining ingredients are stirred in by hand.  And lastly, 4 - the baked cookies remain on the cookie sheet for a full 30 minutes after they are removed from the oven.

I should also mention the Toll House recipe makes tablespoon size cookies, where as these are about 3 times larger.  From a textural standpoint, they are indeed soft and chewy, even the following day.  From a flavor standpoint, they were very good, but they're not my all-time favorite.  With that said, they're certainly wonderful and my family had no trouble gobbling them up.

Cook's Illustrated Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 16-20 cookies 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (10 tbsp; and 4 tbsp)

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)

• 1 teaspoon table salt

• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1 1/4 cups Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips

• 3/4 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment or silicone baking mats. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside.

3. In a small stainless steel sauce pan or skillet over medium-high heat, melt 10 tablespoons butter; swirling pan until butter is dark golden brown and smells nutty (don't let it burn); transfer to a large, heatproof bowl and immediately stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until completely melted. 

4. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla and whisk together. 

5. Add egg and egg yolk and whisk for 30 seconds; let sit for 3 minutes and whisk for another 30 seconds. 

6. Repeat whisking and resting process 2 more times; until mixture is smooth and shiny. 

7. Using silicone spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture completely. 

8. Stir in chocolate chips and optional nuts.

9. Divide dough into 16 portions or use a #24 cookie scoop. 

10. Arrange 8 cookies per sheet pan. 

11. Bake one pan of cookies at a time; at 375F for 10-14 minutes until the edges have begun to set but the centers are still soft. 

12. Allow cookies to rest on sheet pan for 30 minutes before moving.

Notes

• A #20 scoop will yield 20 cookies.  Ghiradelli bittersweet 60% Cacao chips won CI's taste test. 

• 60% Cacao (not cocoa) means the chips are 40% sugar and 60% cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

ButterYum's Vanilla Nut Bars

Ina Garten is one of my favorite TV Personalities - I just love her food, her style, and her on-camera personality. You know how you can kinda tell how you're going to get along with a person before you really get to know them? Well, I'm convinced she and I would get along wonderfully.

Anyway, I love how Ina encourages her viewers to master a really good recipe or technique, and then change it up a bit to make different variations. That's exactly what I did with her Pecan Squares - I used her fabulous recipe as a starting point, tweaked it here and there, and ended up with these delicious nibbles that I call Vanilla Nut Bars. I think Ina would approve :).

The changes were simple - I omitted the lemon and orange zest from the original recipe, I replaced half of the pecans with almonds, I added lots of vanilla extract, and I replaced the honey with Lyle's Golden Syrup.  I also cut the recipe in half so my family isn't tempted to eat an entire sheet pan full of these delicious treats. Double the recipe if you want to feed a crowd!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• commercial 9x13 pan https://amzn.to/3Uj4bGL

• Lyle’s golden syrup https://amzn.to/3WEsH7p

• nonstick foil https://amzn.to/3sVHr3Q

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3h8fJy5 (use the good stuff!)

• BeaterBlade attachment https://amzn.to/2HXr41r

• almonds https://amzn.to/3Un3wUU

• pecans https://amzn.to/3DRqKvN

---

ButterYum's Vanilla Nut Bars

Makes one 9x13 pan

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Filling:

• 1/2 pound (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup (or honey)

• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1 pound chopped nuts (I used almonds and pecans)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Make the crust by combining the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.

3. Use the paddle or BeaterBlade attachment (LOVE my BeaterBlade); mix for 3 minutes.

4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.

5. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the butter/sugar mixture on low speed just until all the ingredients are completely incorporated.

6. Using well floured hands, press dough into ungreased 9x13 metal cake pan or lined 9x13 quarter sheet pan (see notes below).

7. Bake crust for 15 minutes. Cool. Make the filling.

8. Make the filling by combining the butter, golden syrup (or honey), and brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

9. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; continue to boil for 3 minutes.

10. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream, vanilla, and chopped nuts.

11. Pour mixture over the crust and bake for 20-25 minutes.

12. Cool until set. Cut and serve!

Notes

• Lyle's Golden Syrup is an all natural sugar cane syrup imported from England. It has an addictive caramel-like flavor and I absolutely love it. It can be used interchangeably in any recipe that calls for honey or corn syrup.

• If baking in a quarter sheet pan, build up the edges a bit with nonstick foil to catch any possible spills.

• A double recipe will fit in one half sheet pan or two 9x13 cake pans.

adapted from Ina Garten's Pecan Squares

(affiliate links)

Lyle's Golden Syrup