How do You Define the Perfect Cookie?

Who doesn’t like a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie?  No one I know.  At the same time, if you put 100 people together in a room and had them each describe their perfect chocolate chip cookie, you would get 100 different answers.  My dad, for one, LOVES crispy cookies.  He likes to bite into a chocolate chip cookie and have it crunch and crumble inside his mouth.  My mom would take half-baked if you had them.  Who needs to wait for cookies to bake and cool when you can take them out of the oven after a few minutes when they are gooey, warm and delicious?  My sister will take her cookie and eat around the chocolate chips (who is she?).  And the Husband, he is happy as long as you give him a glass of milk to dunk into.

I am somewhere in between.  While I don’t love extra crispy cookies, I can recognize their appeal.  And really, who can resist warm and melty cookie dough?!  There is a time and a place for all forms of chocolate chip cookies, and yes that includes a plain old Chips Ahoy in times of desperation.

However, right now, I am on a quest to reinvent the most delicious chocolate chip cookie I have ever had.  Every year someone sends the most amazing cookies to our office, and let me tell you, I don’t eat office treats unless I think they are really worth it.  These cookies, worth it.  They are dense and chewy with the perfect hint of salt and a lot of chocolate chips.  Something about them is so addicting.  I’ll go into the kitchen and grab one, because look at me, I can eat just one cookie.  But about two seconds after I take that last bite, I am back for more, because who am I kidding, I can’t eat just one cookie.

On my way to figuring out a recipe to recreate this “perfect” cookie, I found something quite different, but quite tasty.  These Doughy Chocolate Chunk Cookies are about as addicting.  To me, they exemplify the flavors of freshly mixed cookie dough in baked cookie form.  Moist, chewy, doughy and slightly underbaked with the perfect amount of big chocolate chunks.  I used Christmas colored dark chocolate M&M’s to give them a festive appeal and chunks of milk chocolate Hershey’s Kisses for the sweet contrast.  Any form of chocolate chip would work just as well.

To begin, lightly chop your Kisses and set aside

Combine flour with the other dry ingredients

Whisk together and set aside

Next, combine the butter and sugars until light and fluffy

Then, add your eggs and vanilla and combine well

Reduce the speed of your mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients

Scrape your bowl a couple of times to make sure flour is fully mixed in

Stir chocolate pieces into your batter

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight

Use a cookie dough scoop or tablespoon for cookies

Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Once done, allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack

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Doughy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup dark chocolate M&M’s

1 cup milk Hershey’s Kisses, lightly chopped

Directions:

Lightly chop Hershey’s Kisses; set aside

Combine flour with the other dry ingredients and whisk together; set aside

Next, combine the butter and sugars; beat well until light and fluffy

Then, add your eggs and vanilla and combine well

Reduce the speed of your mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients

Stir chocolate pieces into your batter

Chill your dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight

Once ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Scoop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper

Bake in the oven for 9-10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges; cookies will not change color much

Set the cookies aside on cooling racks

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Any tips for me on making this “perfect” cookie? I am having trouble finding that dense chewy texture that was so enjoyable.