Chocolate Chip Cookies Done Right

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Apr 8, 2019
46
75
18
#1
That's right I am claiming that you have all been doing chocolate chip cookies wrong. :eek:

The most common recipe you'll see is the original 1938 chocolate chip cookie by Ruth Graves Wakefield. Which was then bought by Nestle and is found on all their chocolate chips that they sell. I'm fairly confident that if you live anywhere in at least the English speaking world you know exactly how these cookies taste.

No offense to Ruth but I think and know that we can do better. Here is the ingredient list:
  • 1 + 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • Pinches of sea salt*
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or artificial
  • 1 + 3/4 sticks of unsalted butter (Small sticks not the big thick ones)
  • 1 + 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate (mix in some milk or dark if you want, make it fancy)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice (completely optional, I don't do it since my girlfriend is allergic to nuts)
Onto how to make it:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375f (190c) and place parchment paper onto two or more baking sheets depending on their size, these are pretty big cookies.
  2. Place half of your 3/4 stick of butter in a heatproof bowl (preferable glass, I've tried this recipe in a metal bowl and it completely changed the consistency of the cookie, maybe something to do with how metal transfers heat or a reaction with an ingredient? Just use glass.) Place the rest of your butter into a pan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and keep it in the pan swirling it around until it turns brown and stops foaming. Then pour it into the heatproof bowl where the rest of your butter is and stir until fully melted. This is the first big change from Ruth's recipe. The brown butter adds such an amazing flavour to the cookies that there is no reason not to do this, it is the first thing you notice upon eating the cookie.
  3. To the brown butter add the brown and white sugar, table salt and vanilla. Then whisk until combined. Another change from what Ruth does is that I like having more brown sugar than white, the molasses in the brown sugar just adds something special that the white sugar cuts down on. I also add an extra teaspoon of vanilla compared to Ruth, that is because the brown butter flavour overpowers just one teaspoon.
  4. Add the egg and the yolk and then whisk for 30 seconds. Then wait 3 minutes and stir again for 30 seconds. Do this two more times after. Each time you'll see the colour and consistency change which is exactly what you want to happen.
  5. Next add the flour and baking soda and using a spatula fold it into the mixture until it is just fully combined, then fold in the chocolate and nuts.
  6. Create fairly large cookie dough balls (I use a 3 tablespoon ice cream scoop for this) and place them 2 inches apart on your baking sheets.
  7. Sprinkle a small amount of sea salt onto the top of each cookie, this will really enhance the flavour.
  8. Bake them 1 tray at a time (don't do more than this, the heat isn't evenly distributed in your oven and they won't turn out the same) for between 10-15 minutes, be sure to check up on them, different ovens cook differently.
  9. Once ready remove from oven and place the baking sheet onto a wire rack to let them cool, once cooled enjoy. :)
I hope that you guys will enjoy these cookies and that you'll agree with me that while Ruth's are good these are significantly better. I like this recipe a lot since at it's core they are still chocolate chip cookies, there's no extra things being thrown in or whatnot just every ingredient that is already there is being elevated to as good as it can get.

God bless. :)
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
41,301
16,296
113
69
Tennessee
#2
...or you could just take the easy way out and get your Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies from a tube. Interesting wrinkle about the sprinkle of sea salt. Gonna have to try this. You sound like you are quite the baker. That's a good thing. I used to do some baking back in the day.
 
Apr 8, 2019
46
75
18
#3
...or you could just take the easy way out and get your Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies from a tube. Interesting wrinkle about the sprinkle of sea salt. Gonna have to try this. You sound like you are quite the baker. That's a good thing. I used to do some baking back in the day.
Why would you ever want to do something the easy way though? Where's the fun in that? :LOL:

The salt on top really enhances and brings together the whole flavour of the cookies, I always get weird looks from people when they hear about it, people aren't used to salt on desserts but salt is just as important as sugar, though obviously in smaller amounts.

I bake and cook, basically my hobby at this point. I've been thinking about potentially opening a bakery of sorts. I could never be a chef though, I've worked in kitchens before and they're always angry no way I want that. :p
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
41,301
16,296
113
69
Tennessee
#4
Why would you ever want to do something the easy way though? Where's the fun in that? :LOL:

The salt on top really enhances and brings together the whole flavour of the cookies, I always get weird looks from people when they hear about it, people aren't used to salt on desserts but salt is just as important as sugar, though obviously in smaller amounts.

I bake and cook, basically my hobby at this point. I've been thinking about potentially opening a bakery of sorts. I could never be a chef though, I've worked in kitchens before and they're always angry no way I want that. :p
I've worked in a few kitchens too. The atmosphere can be very intense, especially during the evening dinner rush. I just had some salted caramel vanilla ice cream and the salt definitely enhances the flavor of the caramel
 
Apr 8, 2019
46
75
18
#5
I've worked in a few kitchens too. The atmosphere can be very intense, especially during the evening dinner rush. I just had some salted caramel vanilla ice cream and the salt definitely enhances the flavor of the caramel
Salt is the greatest flavour enhancer there is, too bad that these days people are so afraid of it.
 
G

Godsgirl83

Guest
#6
That's right I am claiming that you have all been doing chocolate chip cookies wrong. :eek:

The most common recipe you'll see is the original 1938 chocolate chip cookie by Ruth Graves Wakefield. Which was then bought by Nestle and is found on all their chocolate chips that they sell. I'm fairly confident that if you live anywhere in at least the English speaking world you know exactly how these cookies taste.

No offense to Ruth but I think and know that we can do better. Here is the ingredient list:
  • 1 + 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • Pinches of sea salt*
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or artificial
  • 1 + 3/4 sticks of unsalted butter (Small sticks not the big thick ones)
  • 1 + 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate (mix in some milk or dark if you want, make it fancy)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice (completely optional, I don't do it since my girlfriend is allergic to nuts)
Onto how to make it:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375f (190c) and place parchment paper onto two or more baking sheets depending on their size, these are pretty big cookies.
  2. Place half of your 3/4 stick of butter in a heatproof bowl (preferable glass, I've tried this recipe in a metal bowl and it completely changed the consistency of the cookie, maybe something to do with how metal transfers heat or a reaction with an ingredient? Just use glass.) Place the rest of your butter into a pan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and keep it in the pan swirling it around until it turns brown and stops foaming. Then pour it into the heatproof bowl where the rest of your butter is and stir until fully melted. This is the first big change from Ruth's recipe. The brown butter adds such an amazing flavour to the cookies that there is no reason not to do this, it is the first thing you notice upon eating the cookie.
  3. To the brown butter add the brown and white sugar, table salt and vanilla. Then whisk until combined. Another change from what Ruth does is that I like having more brown sugar than white, the molasses in the brown sugar just adds something special that the white sugar cuts down on. I also add an extra teaspoon of vanilla compared to Ruth, that is because the brown butter flavour overpowers just one teaspoon.
  4. Add the egg and the yolk and then whisk for 30 seconds. Then wait 3 minutes and stir again for 30 seconds. Do this two more times after. Each time you'll see the colour and consistency change which is exactly what you want to happen.
  5. Next add the flour and baking soda and using a spatula fold it into the mixture until it is just fully combined, then fold in the chocolate and nuts.
  6. Create fairly large cookie dough balls (I use a 3 tablespoon ice cream scoop for this) and place them 2 inches apart on your baking sheets.
  7. Sprinkle a small amount of sea salt onto the top of each cookie, this will really enhance the flavour.
  8. Bake them 1 tray at a time (don't do more than this, the heat isn't evenly distributed in your oven and they won't turn out the same) for between 10-15 minutes, be sure to check up on them, different ovens cook differently.
  9. Once ready remove from oven and place the baking sheet onto a wire rack to let them cool, once cooled enjoy. :)
I hope that you guys will enjoy these cookies and that you'll agree with me that while Ruth's are good these are significantly better. I like this recipe a lot since at it's core they are still chocolate chip cookies, there's no extra things being thrown in or whatnot just every ingredient that is already there is being elevated to as good as it can get.

God bless. :)
OHHHHHHH CAN"T WAIT TO TRY!
 
G

Godsgirl83

Guest
#8
You'll have to let me know how you find them. :)
the recipe on the back of the bag is usually what I use, sometimes one from a cookbook that's a little richer. My husband loves when I make cookies cuz I get them just right, all soft and chewy unlike his mom did (she always cooked them to a rock,lol) but I don't like making cookies cuz when it comes to my kitchen and foods prepared I'm (getting over) being a perfectionist, lol. For some reason when I make cookies they always stay soft but kind of wrinkle and curl up and go FLAT as a pancake. (I think I saw on a cooking show that baking soda is suppose to be replaced for cooking every 2-3 months, that might be what's wrong......) and they don't look pretty, makes me so :mad: My husband doesn't care how they look (too much) he says "as long as they taste good" My reasoning is if I spend all the time making it I want it to look good too, lol. I'm getting over it b/c I don't want my daughter to learn bad kitchen habits (she has learning disabilities and doesn't handle disappointments and frustrations well) so I want her to learn what dad says "as long as it taste good"
oh well........ Can't wait! Busy tonight but maybe this weekend.......
 
Apr 8, 2019
46
75
18
#9
the recipe on the back of the bag is usually what I use, sometimes one from a cookbook that's a little richer. My husband loves when I make cookies cuz I get them just right, all soft and chewy unlike his mom did (she always cooked them to a rock,lol) but I don't like making cookies cuz when it comes to my kitchen and foods prepared I'm (getting over) being a perfectionist, lol. For some reason when I make cookies they always stay soft but kind of wrinkle and curl up and go FLAT as a pancake. (I think I saw on a cooking show that baking soda is suppose to be replaced for cooking every 2-3 months, that might be what's wrong......) and they don't look pretty, makes me so :mad: My husband doesn't care how they look (too much) he says "as long as they taste good" My reasoning is if I spend all the time making it I want it to look good too, lol. I'm getting over it b/c I don't want my daughter to learn bad kitchen habits (she has learning disabilities and doesn't handle disappointments and frustrations well) so I want her to learn what dad says "as long as it taste good"
oh well........ Can't wait! Busy tonight but maybe this weekend.......
Soft and chewy cookies are one of the best things in the world. These ones do puff up a bit but not as much as you can make them. I was more caring about the taste with these ones. One of the best ways to get them to puff up is to incorporate air into them like when making whipped cream you get air into it, which you can't get with my recipe here since I use hot brown butter the sugars just melt into it. I get what you mean though by wanting them to look nice, don't worry these ones do. Part of our enjoyment of food comes from the way it looks that's something I always try to do. But at the end of the day taste is the most important. I pray that all goes well with your daughter and that you enjoy the cookies.
 
G

Godsgirl83

Guest
#10
  • 1 + 3/4 sticks of unsalted butter (Small sticks not the big thick ones)
What's your definition of "small sticks"? In the U.S. our typical butter sticks come in 4oz (113 G) sticks that are 8TBSP each (about 1/2 cup) or at least that's how I've always bought them, and mom did too. I'm wondering your difference between "small sticks" and "big thick ones"? so for me it would be (based on the measurements you gave) 3/4cup+2TBSP (or 14TBSP) (1 stick+ 6TBSP).
Making these this weekend!
 
Apr 8, 2019
46
75
18
#11
What's your definition of "small sticks"? In the U.S. our typical butter sticks come in 4oz (113 G) sticks that are 8TBSP each (about 1/2 cup) or at least that's how I've always bought them, and mom did too. I'm wondering your difference between "small sticks" and "big thick ones"? so for me it would be (based on the measurements you gave) 3/4cup+2TBSP (or 14TBSP) (1 stick+ 6TBSP).
Making these this weekend!
Do your 14 tbsp option and be sure to let me know how they are. :)