Baking & Cooking 101: The perfect chocolate chip cookie starts with un-melted butter

By Errin Stevenson

March 26, 2008 | Knowing how to bake a good cookie can save you at times when your mother-in-law is coming to town, you need to take your neighbor a treat, or your husband and kids simply want a good sweet. So, I am going to teach you all how to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

There are some basic rules in baking cookies. First and most important, don't melt your butter. This is what makes your cookies crisp and not chewy. So, simply place your butter on the countertop until it is at room temperature. Once it is at room temperature you can mix your butter and sugars together. Second, always remember to mix your wet ingredients before you add in your dry ingredients. Third, don't mix your dough too mix. I usually will mix my wet ingredients with an electric blender until mixed. Then, I will mix in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.

Let's start with our recipe to the “perfect chocolate chip cookie”. I prefer this recipe because it has a couple spices in the recipe that makes your cookie have more taste. The spice fragrances will also make your kitchen smell wonderful!

The "perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe:

One-half c. butter softened
One-half c. butter flavored shortening
1 c. light brown sugar
One-half c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1-and-one-half c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
One-half t. ground cloves
One-half c. salt
3 c. rolled oats
1 c. chocolate chips (you can also use raisins if you want.)

Starting with our three basic rules from above, we first we need to soften the butter. Once softened place in a large bowl and add shortening and sugars and mix until blended. Then add in your eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Simply add the dry ingredients mix into the large bowl with the wet ingredients and with a wooden spoon or spatula mix until just blended. Once blended, add in your oats and chocolate chips. On an un-greased cookie sheet place rounded cookie dough balls. Cook for 12 minutes or just until light and golden. Watch your first batch carefully so you can see if your oven cooks fast or slow. Cookies are never good when they are over baked. Remove the cookies from the oven when golden and place on a rack, or I just use aluminum foil on my counter top, and let cool.

Serve with milk or ice cream! Enjoy!

MS
MS