The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies In the World

I am constantly Sometimes I get hungry for chocolate chip cookies. When that happens, the cafeteria chocolate chip cookies next to the percolator coffee at the staff meeting sometimes get eaten. I am definitely still hungry for chocolate chip cookies after that. I might even drink the percolator coffee to wash out the flavor in my mouth.

If you hand me a package of those chewy, supposedly homemade tasting cookies, I will run away from you because a) those are gross, and b) that is not natural. This historical recipe will definitely not suffice. Even this delightful recipe from my favorite website ever just isn’t good enough. Believe it or not, even Alton Brown’s recipe doesn’t meet my standards…and Alton Brown sets my standards.

I really like cooking with whole foods. Making cookies with butter instead of shortening almost makes them health food in my mind. (Okay, not really. But I had to work to conquer that attitude.) But if I’m going to eat cookies, I’m going to eat cookies.

Here is the ultimate recipe. I don’t know where she got it, but I got it from my mom.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. shortening
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. all purpose flor
• 1-1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 c. nuts (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375*F.
• Cream shortening and sugars. (That means beat the heck out of it until it’s fluffy. Your sugar molecules are busting open your fat molecules here.)
• Add eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine.
• Sift (or whisk if you’re lazy) dry ingredients together.
• Stir dry mixture into creamed mixture, 1/3 at a time.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack.

Doesn’t sound like anything too special, but it is. Perhaps it’s the shortening. I think it has a lot to do with the granulated sugar/brown sugar ratio. (AB says brown sugar makes cookies chewier and white sugar makes them crispier.) Whatever it is, it makes excellent, crispy, chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Yesterday, I wanted some chocolate chip cookies. When you spend 3 hours a day in a room of chocolate-frenzied, teenaged girls, chocolate gets on your mind a lot. I decided to experiment a little. I swapped in 1/4 c. whole wheat flour and 1/4 c. flax-seed meal for 1/2 c. of the AP flour. I also included walnuts. The results are amazing. I really like the flavor whole wheat gives to baked goods.

I recommend these chocolate chips from Sunspire. They’re fair trade, so you won’t have to deal with any guilt about slave children in Africa (not joking), and they seriously taste amazing. I got these on sale at our local health food store. I bought a case when they were on sale because they are not budget friendly at all. But they are worth it both ethically and flavorfully.

As a side note, if you come home from work with an awful headache and plan to squeeze some Indian food out of a bag onto some rice for your husband’s dinner, these make an excellent appetizer and side dish.

I don’t have any pictures because my camera is spending the night at Capanna. But you should just make your own. You know you want to.

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