Craving Chocolate Chip Cookies?

WARNING: These chocolate chip cookies may cause addiction.

It's taken me about 5 years to finally master the art of baking chocolate chip cookies. Now, whenever I get the chance to bake, or when I just need to relieve some stress, my go-to recipe is the classic chcolate chip. I had to go through a lot of trial and error to get to this point. I am fortunate enough to have supportive parents who never turned down a taste test (even when there were times that they should've said no). I personally am not quite fond of eating chocolate, so it was an especially difficult process to perfect this recipe. Without trying them myself, I've had to depend on my friends and family for honest feedback. 

The top two problems that many people have with chocolate chip cookies are:

1. They're too crunchy (i.e., burnt and overcooked).

2. They don't rise.

These issues stem from baking time and one crucial step that many recipes leave out. After reading many different food blogs, I finally found one that solved both problems. Once I applied the tricks to my recipe and played around with it with a few batches, I eventually created the ultimate soft-baked chocolate chip cookie. 

There are three secrets for getting a nice soft, golden cookie:

1. Add 1-2 teaspoons of corn starch to the dry ingredients.

2. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 3 hours prior to when you want to bake them in the oven.

3. Don't trust the cooking time that recipes give you. 

Corn starch

A little goes a long way. You'd be surprised to see the difference corn starch makes in the fluffiness of your chocolate chip cookies. It will not detriment the flavor of the cookies, nor will it change the color. It will add texture, giving the cookies more height when they bake, and it will also keep them soft even after being stored in Tupperware. You can also substitute vanilla dry pudding mix if you don't have cornstarch.

Refrigerate the Dough

Waiting can be difficult, but if you're paitient, you won't be disappointed. Letting the cookie dough sit in the fridge for a few hours will allow them to cook more evenly. They won't spread out too fast in the oven. You won't end up with flat cookies that tend to be overcooked and burnt. 

Cooking Time

A lot of recipes will give you an approximate time frame of 7-9 minutes. When it comes to cookies, an extra minute can make or break your cookie (literally). It all depends on your oven. When you first preheat the oven, it will take about 15-20 minutes for it to reach the temperature you set it to. Now, some of you might not be able to wait that long, so my advice is to bake only three cookies on the first tray. Watch the clock carefully. Take the tray out once the sides of the cookies have become lightly brown. Don't worry if the centers are still a little underbaked. The cookies will continue to cook while they cool. 

So without further ado. Here's my recipe for THE chocolate chip cookies!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (aka cornflour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter  until completely smooth and creamy. 

2. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until fluffy and light in color. 

3. Mix in egg and vanilla. Take the egg out and place it on the counter for 5 minutes prior to adding it.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. 

5. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. 

6. Add the chocolate chips and fold in for about 5 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (3+ hours preferred for thicker cookies) and up to 2 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take out the cookie dough and allow to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.

8. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Roll balls of dough, about 1-2 tablespoons (I tend to make them into the size of ping pong balls), and flatten slightly using the palm of your hand. 

9. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remember that the first batch will take the longest and the later ones will take less time. Adjust time accordingly. Your cookies are done when the sides are slightly golden and the middle is still a little undercooked. They will look extremely soft, but that's okay! 

10. Remove cookies from the cookie sheet and allow to cool for 5-7 minutes. 

11. ENJOY!!! :)