The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is my most requested recipe. It's also my most tested, most altered, and most reliable. I come back to this base over and over again. I'm going to give you the whole basic recipe, several sets of cooking instructions, and tips on how to get the perfect finish. Bear with me; I promise it's worth the read.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3/4-1 cup chocolate chips

Some tips here:

• I'm pretty picky about the vanilla I use... Watkins Baking Vanilla is my standard. I literally always have it. Cookie dough, cakes, frosting, coffees ... it's the best, IMO.

• I measure my dry ingredients with measuring cups and a knife. It's messy (especially with the flour) but I feel it's the most accurate way. I don't have a scale and haven't invested in one yet, so my mind might change.

• Mix up your chocolate chips! Mix sizes and flavors. I love a dark chocolate chunk with mini semi-sweet chips. Have some peanut butter chips? Throw them in. White chocolate? We don't judge.

Prep the dough

1. Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. This should take at least 5 minutes. Don't rush it. Let them get light and fluffy. This is essential for good cookie dough.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Once the butter and sugars are well creamed, add in the egg and mix well. Add in vanilla and almond extracts next until incorporated well.

4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. It should take at least three additions. Leave about a tablespoon of flour mixture in the bowl, then toss the chocolate chips in that.

5. Once the flour is well incorporated into the mixture and a dough has formed, gently add in the chocolate chips until just mixed.

6. Put cookie dough in a plastic bag or airtight container and store in the fridge a minimum of 2 hours, up to 48 hours.

**The chilling of the dough is VITAL. It helps the dough combine flavors and lets them bloom. It will help the way the dough bakes. I promise, from someone with zero patience, this is entirely worth it!

**After the dough is chilled, allow to sit on counter for 15-20 minutes to come to room temp while you decide how you want to bake it.

Baking Options

1. Round cookie cake (8" pan)

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

   2. Prep round pan with non-stick spray and parchment paper. I like to use a little spray on the bottom, put the parchment in, and use a little non-stick spray over top.

   3. Bake 23-25 minutes.

   4. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes in pan before devouring or turning out to rack.

2. Large cookies

   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

   2. Prep a large cookie sheet with non-stick spray and parchment paper or a silicone mat.

   3. Using a 3-tbsp cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough onto sheet, keeping about 1" of space between.

   4. Chill for 10-15 minutes in fridge before baking.

   5. Bake 15-18 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the middles are no longer shiny. Top with a small amount of flaked sea salt.

   6. Cool on pan for 5-8 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

3. Small cookies

   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

   2. Prep a large cookie sheet with non-stick spray and parchment paper or a silicone mat.

   3. Using a 1.5-tbsp cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough onto sheet, keeping about 0.5" of space between.

   4. Chill for 10-15 minutes in fridge before baking.

   5. Bake 9-11 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the middles are no longer shiny. Top with a small amount of flaked sea salt.

   6. Cool on pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.