Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

For many years I searched for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.  My idea of perfect?  Thick, soft and tasty too.  I thought I'd never find it - to crunchy, too thin, too floury tasting, all disappointing.  The cookie recipe I craved just didn't seem to exist and frustration set in.  Then one day it just happened I stumbled across one that almost met my desires.  With a little tweaking of measurements I finally perfected it and now I proudly offer it to you with all of my little secrets.

Jenn's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 Cups       Margarine (Softened)

2 Cups       Sugar

2 Cups       Brown Sugar

3                Eggs

2 tsp           Vanilla

2 tsp           Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp     Salt

1 1/2 tsp     Baking Soda

5-6 Cups    Flour

2 Bags        Milk Chocolate Chips

Mix margarine, sugar and brown sugar until it's creamy.  Mix in remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips) adding the flour slowly until the dough is firm.  Add chocolate chips.  Shape into small balls or use a #40 scoop.  Place in oven preheated to 325 for about 11 minutes. 

*I like to cook a dozen, make the rest into balls and put them in an air tight container in the fridge to use when I want fresh cookies

So there is the recipe - now let me go into the whys and secrets of why it works.

First lets start with the mixer.  I am fortunate enough to have a kitchenaid  mixer.  If you have one use it.  If not a hand mixer will do, but do not add the chocolate chips with the mixer on.  You will need to mix the chips in by hand.

Now the margarine.  Anyone that knows me knows I'm a butter fanatic!  Butter just makes everything better from frosting to sauteed mushrooms. There is no substitute ever... until now.  You MUST use margarine.  Why?  Because margarine will keep your cookie soft and butter will make it crisp. Simple as that.

Cream your sugars and margarine together first.  It's a simple step, but will make a big difference.  With the sugars and margarine creamed you will have a good base and be assured the rest of the ingredients will be incorporated evenly.

The flour - I'm sure your confused as to the 5-6 cups.  It's really quite simple.  Your recipe will need to be adjusted depending on humidity, elevation and weather.  I will add less flour on a hot dry day and more on a rainy day.  If you add to little your cookies will come out flat, too much and they will stay in a ball and not flatten out and possibly taste dry.  What you want is a stiff dough that is slightly sticky, but not to sticky to handle.  If you are worried about it cook one and if it becomes too flat add more flour. Me personally, I usually use 5 1/2 cups to 6 cups of flour.

Please do not use semi-sweet chocolate chips.... milk chocolate only.  They have a sweeter taste and isn't that what you want in a cookie? 

I love my #40 scoop, it makes my cookies uniform and pretty, not to mention so much easier than rolling balls.  They aren't much.  If you don't have one you should think about getting one.  You'll be surprised how handy it is. 

The temperature.  Normally you bake cookies at 350.  If you bake them at 350 your more likely to get a darker crunchier cookie.  I have adjusted the temp to 325 to maintain the softness of the cookie.  This is a rule I use with sugar cookies, snicker doodles and just about any other cookie I put in the oven.

Baking time will change with the adjustment of the oven temperature.  If you are someone that needs a timer, as most people do, you will need to time it the first time you put the cookies in the oven.  I have found around 11 minutes works for me.  Watch your first batch carefully.  Once you can smell the aroma you know your cookies are moments away from being done.  This next part is very important to the softness of your cookie.  When you see the edges of your cookies turning a tan color, but your cookie just doesn't look done take the cookies out.  Let them sit on the cookie sheet to cool.   Cookies will continue to cook after being pulled from the oven.

Now you know the why's and the how's. Hopefully your cookies will turn out as amazing as mine!