Now I know what you’re thinking: I thought January was going to be all about health and wellness, and now you’re posting tantalizing recipes to tempt me off the bandwagon? However, an important part of this month’s challenge to embrace our best selves is learning to celebrate and enjoy life’s greatest pleasures…and trust me when I say: this cookie qualifies. I actually posted what I thought was the world’s best chocolate chip cookie a couple years ago, and while that cookie is very, very good, this one has a couple of key ingredients that take it over the top. Everyone who tried the batch I made last weekend (including my cookie connoisseur husband) agreed that these are indeed the best. It’s all about the Maldon sea salt, m’dears. I’ve talked about my love of Maldon before (and used it in all these recipes) and a few crunchy sprinkles on top of these cookies right before baking creates the most sweet-meets-salty bit of heaven. Especially when combined with a really high-quality chocolate chip, like Guittard (what I used), Scharffen Berger or Callebaut, in either semi- or bittersweet. Bake them, eat a few and give the rest away… sharing a little chocolate chip cookie love is a pretty great way to kick off the year.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever
*makes 18 large cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (high-quality is a must here. I use Guittard. Callebaut is also a great choice.)
- Maldon sea salt
Instructions:
-
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.
-
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla. Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend. Using a spatula, fold in chocolate.
-
Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.
- Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes (the cookies will firm up as they cool). Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.
*adapted from this Bon Appetit recipe
