Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

My last final was at 7pm. I had all day to kill before this test. Rather than spend my entire day in angst, trying to cram my brain, I made cookies.

Just your classic chocolate chip cookie. Buttery, soft, chewy, thick, and crispy. Oh, and chocolately, duh! The perfect cure for an anxious day of studying, for a celebration of being done, for a yearning for classic comfort food.


This entire recipe makes a ton of dough in just a short amount of time. In just under half an hour, I made my dough, baked my cookies, and cleaned up my dirty dishes. BAM. Instant craving fix.


Giving someone a gift of just a simple, classic chocolate chip cookie will brighten their day. I left a plate of cookies for my housemates with a friendly note saying "Good luck with finals, everyone." I tempted my friend Michelle with a few celebratory cookies, my study-buddy/friend Alison indulged (her mama made her a finals care-package of which I had a few nibbles: homemade chocolate chocolate chip cookies with candied orange peel, coconut oat and nut cookies, and chocolate dipped dried apricots), and I brought a few over to some hungry young lads in San Francisco. I've still got a few more cookies to give out, so come n' get em or else my greedy self might overcome me and may end up eating them all!


Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

From SmittenKitchen, adapted from AllRecipes.com

SmittenKitchen says, "...when I’m looking for a classic cookie, kind of like the old school Toll House recipe but better, even, this is what I go for."

As always with cookies, you can scoop, flash freeze, and then freeze the cookies until you’re ready to bake them, or to bake a few off at a time. You can bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to your baking time, of course, or let them thaw out on a tray for a while.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.