Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Straight Up Or With Nuts Recipes

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat softened butter and sugars with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon about 1 minute or until fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally.
• Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture just until blended (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
• Onto ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

ANYTIME CHOCOLATE CHIP AND OAT COOKIES

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Toast nuts on a rimmed baking sheet until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• Meanwhile, spread out seeds and coconut on same baking sheet and toast until seeds are slightly darkened in color and coconut is golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet.
• Whisk all-purpose flour, whole grain flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl to combine. Vigorously whisk brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until very thick and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add eggs and vanilla; whisk vigorously until mixture is light and satiny, about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients and whisk until completely incorporated and batter is smooth. Fold in nuts, seeds, coconut, chocolate, and oats with a rubber spatula until thoroughly distributed.
• Using a 2-oz. scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, portion out dough, placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet as you go and spacing as close together as possible (it's okay if they touch slightly). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen solid, 2-3 hours. (If you can't wait for cookies to freeze, chill in refrigerator just until firm instead, at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Cookies might bake a minute or two faster.)
• If needed, reheat oven to 350°F. Arrange up to 8 cookies on a large parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing at least 2" apart. (These cookies are large and will spread, so use another baking sheet if baking more than 8 cookies and place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.) Bake, rotating baking sheet front to back (and top to bottom if using 2) halfway through, until deep golden brown and wrinkled around the edges (centers should still be pale and slightly shiny), 16-20 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet.
• Do Ahead: Dough can be made 2 months ahead; transfer frozen balls to an airtight container and keep frozen. Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Evenly position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. (on convection setting if you have it.) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.)
• Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted. (Alternatively melt in a small saucepan.) Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.
• Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve.
• Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.
• For a Rocky Road Bar:
• Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Make the batter as per cookie recipe and fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until the edges are light brown and the batter sets, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly and cover surface with 4 cups marshmallows and 1 cup chocolate chips. Broil at least 8 inches from the heat until marshmallows turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. (Keep an eye on the marshmallows, and turn the pan frequently--they go from golden to char in a wink.) Cool, cut and serve.

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a second large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at time, beating after each addition to incorporate; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium, add the flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Scoop 12 heaping tablespoons of dough onto each prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Roll each into a ball with slightly wet hands. Bake until the cookies are golden but still soft in the center, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
• When the baking sheets have cooled completely, scoop the remaining dough onto 1 sheet and bake. Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Variations:
• For cakey cookies: Replace the light brown sugar and granulated sugar with 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F until golden and tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• For crispy-cakey cookies: Bake the cookies at 425 degrees F until golden and crunchy on the outside, 8 to 10 minutes.
• For chewy cookies: Use 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup corn syrup and omit the granulated sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F until golden and crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For super-chewy cookies: Substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Bake at 375 degrees F until golden with caramelized edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
• For extra-crispy cookies: Bake the cookies at 300 degrees F until flat and crunchy, 24 to 28 minutes.