While we all know and love the iconic Nestle® Toll House® Cookies we grew up on, my husband Tom was always asking me to add in more chocolate chips. I thought, “why not?” So I got busy and tested many, many recipes over the years until I finally came up with this one. We don’t sell these, but we have been
making them for friends and family for years and we always get the same response: “These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten!” So, for the first time, I am sharing my secret recipe with you!
What’s the secret you ask? We’ve added a third more chips, 60% bittersweet, for balance, and an extra egg yolk for creaminess, as well as a little more salt (Salt really intensifies the chocolate).
Start by Preheating your oven to 375° (or 350° if using a convection oven)
Here’s what you will need:
- Parchment paper
- Cookie sheets, lined with parchment or a non-stick cooking mat like a Silpat®
- Retractable scoop (we like a medium-large sized cookie, 1/4 cup/4 TBS. size), but you can make these to your preference. Whatever you use, you want the measure to be the same so the cookies bake evenly and are ready at the same time
- Dry measuring cups
- Inverted knife or regular knife
- Whisk
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR hand mixer
- Metal and rubber spatulas
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp (we prefer Land O'Lakes); do NOT put the butter in the
- microwave to soften (you can leave butter on the counter overnight to soften)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (we love King Arthur’s flour)
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (we LOVE Nestle® and we prefer the chips)
- 1 cup 60% bittersweet chocolate chips (60 % and we LOVE Ghirardelli®)
- 2 eggs PLUS 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 tsp salt (we prefer Kosher salt, but you can use fine table salt)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Sprinkles/Jimmies (optional)
Cream butter and sugars until smooth, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add in vanilla and eggs until smooth. Mix until incorporated.
Add flour mixture in slowly until incorporated, but do not over mix as that will make the cookie tough.
Add in the chocolate chips. If you have time, let the cookie dough rest at room temperature or refrigerate for 20 - 30 minutes, covered tightly with saran. Using the ¼ cup retractable scoop, place cookie dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing 3” apart. Do not crowd your sheet…I only bake 6 cookies at a time/sheet (and I use jelly roll pans as my cookie sheets).
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, depending on the size of your scoop and how hot your oven runs. Our 1/4 cup scoop takes about 13 – 14 minutes. We like to “bop” them gently on the top of each circle before baking
(just be gentle to these guys �� – you do NOT want to flatten these completely, just a little tap with the palm of your hand). This allows for more even baking and also a flatter surface if you are adding sprinkles on top of yours. Do not put more than two cookie sheets in the oven at a time, and rotate the
pans after 6 minutes (top to bottom, back to front). No two ovens cook the same, and the heat is uneven in most ovens! After you have rotated, bake for 6 more minutes (check earlier if you are making smaller cookies). Take them out just before you think they are done, but they should not look wet on top (bake longer if you prefer a crispier cookie). Let sit on the cookie sheet on a rack for 5 minutes (they will continue to bake while cooling). Setting on a wire rack on the counter will allow air to circulate under pan (if you just leave the hot pan on the counter to cool the cookies will get wet on the bottom).
Then, remove from sheet and put directly on rack to cool completely. If not eating in the next day, freeze; they freeze beautifully if wrapped tightly (air is the enemy of any baked goods).
Now it’s time to enjoy! Show us your creations…tag us on Instagram (@onehungrymonkey)!
