Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s time for the holiday break and what better way to start off Christmas vacation than with a house filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies.

So many people get into debt during the holiday season trying to buy gifts for everyone on their Christmas list. Homemade gifts and baked goods are a great way to send some love in a tin (or a bag) without spending a lot of money. Visit Michael’s for some decorative boxes or use a colorful bow to tie around some cookies or candies and place them in a cellophane treat bag. If you are real artsy, you can buy some plain boxes and decorate them yourself!

As a child, I don’t know if I enjoyed eating the cookie dough or the cookie more. But as an adult, I’m bypassing the finger-in-the-dough and waiting on the warm cookie to come out of the oven. A chocolate chip cookie with a chewy middle and a crunchy outside is the ultimate!

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips
½ c diced walnuts, optional

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Chill the dough for approximately an hour. Drop rounds of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silpat. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 18 cookies, depending on how large you make them.


All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.