From Scratch to Scrumptious

I’ve always been in love with a soft, chewy cookie. Many chocolate chip cookie recipes result in flat, crispy cookies, and I just couldn’t stand it! It took me years to perfect the method of getting a soft, tall cookie every time.

My thanks go to my childhood friend, Janae’s, mom who gave me the original chocolate chip cookie recipe that started me down this road that ends in a perfect cookie. To find the recipe, click here: Dangerously Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more information on the science and the best methods to use to not only improve the texture or your cookie but also the flavor, read on!

I like to use a combination of shortening and butter. Because shortening has a higher melting point than butter, cookies using shortening will bake up taller than all-butter recipes. The outside bakes and sets before the shortening can melt, meaning that your cookie doesn’t spread out flat. Shortening also leads to a final product that is softer inside.

Typical shortening is fairly bland, so to get that buttery flavor every cookie should have, I recommend using butter-flavored shortening for half of the fat and keeping the other half as butter. At the time of this article, the large-size (48 oz) Crisco is cheaper than butter, even from Costco (which is the cheapest butter I’ve found) so it’s also comparatively frugal.

A combination of white and brown sugars creates the perfect cookie. White sugar whips up better when creaming with butter, creating a thicker and better-raised cookie. Brown sugar keeps cookies moist, keeping edges soft and centers chewy.

Creaming fats and sugars incorporates tiny air bubbles, making your chocolate chip cookies extra soft and fluffy. Start with softened butter (set out at room temperature for 30 minutes) and room-temperature shortening. Run your mixer on medium to medium-high for a good 3-5 minutes. You will see a noticeable change in color from deep brown (due to the brown sugar) to a pale cream.

Compare the pictures. The first picture is darker and grainy. This is only mixed, not yet well-creamed. The second picture is pale, fluffy and smooth. This is what you want when creaming your mixture.

While chocolate chip cookies can be baked immediately, for the best flavor and texture, you’ll want to refrigerate the dough for 24-48 hours. Cold butter in the dough takes longer to melt, allowing the outside of the cookie to bake before the dough has a chance to spread out flat. So for taller, chewier cookies, refrigerate at least until the dough is cold, 30-60 minutes.

For the best taste, allow the flavors to come together by resting in the fridge for 1-2 days. This works really well if you only have a bit of time each day but not enough time to whip up the dough and bake it all at once. The creator of the chocolate chip cookie, Ruth Wakefield of Toll House Cookie fame recommended this waiting period for best flavor, and she was right!

For more information on Dough Rest, check out my article Harness the Power of Laziness to Make the Best Cookies.

If you want chocolate chip cookies that are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, by all means, eat them as soon as they’ve cooled off enough to pop in your mouth! If you want to maximize softness, let them sit covered, overnight before serving. The moisture in the cookie, which is mostly in the center after baking, will distribute evenly throughout the cookie as it sits, meaning that the whole cookie will be soft. No more crunchy exterior!

Chocolate chip cookie dough freezes beautifully! Scoop out cookie-sized portions of dough with a cookie scoop or roll into a ball if using a regular spoon and place in a single layer on a plate. Freeze until solid, about 4 or more hours. Remove the dough from the plate and store in a plastic bag or covered container.

To bake, place frozen dough directly on baking sheet and add 1 minute to usual baking time. Baking dough from frozen keeps the centers even softer than baking cold dough.