Unsalted butter only. I only use salted butter when making shortbread.
I use two sticks Kerrygold or Plugra unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract, bag o' Guittard dark choc chips, 3/4 c light brown sug, 3/4 c gran white sug, 1 tso ea of iodized fine kosher salt, baking soda & 2 1/4 c spooned & leveled white flour.
Two large cage free eggs.
Always mixing wet & dry separately and comibine baking soda & salt b4 adding 2 flour.
Yes, chill dough for at least one hour & always use parchment-lined light metal baking sheets with an lipped edge, no flatties.

Never use a margarine type 'spread' or one in a round container, better to use unsalted butter.

Chill the dough. I've had the same batch of dough result in two different types of cookies - one puffy and chewy after it was chilled, one flat and crunchy that sat out and warmed up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the people who use crisco instead of butter, aren't your cookies dry, doughy and fall apart?

My MIL only uses crisco for her cookies and that is how her cookies taste. They are thick and don't spread, but there is no crispy-chewy-gooey ness to the them at all.

She is the only one I know who uses crisco in cookies.

It sounds like your mom is either not creaming her sugars enough, or is baking them too long or too hot, or some combination thereof.

Crisco cookies are simply vile.

No amount of creaming is going to make them taste good.

Stick with butter, OP.

I replace the baking soda with baking powder. It gives you a slightly puffier cookie. Yum!

Wow! OP here. Couldn't believe my old thread coming back to life. Still love reading responses.

I think my cookie sheet might be part of the problem and now I'm lining it with parchment paper. It also seems like the fattier the butter (in other words real lard butter as opposed to veg oil based) or shortening works best. I also refrig the dough before baking.

Cookies still aren't perfect, but edible and not the flat runny cookies I used to get.

Anonymous wrote:I make this recipe, because it's fun to watch. It makes cookies that "stand up." I used to make the toll-house recipe, and those cookies and great, but flat.

http://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/04/ultimate-stand-mixer-chocolate-chunk-cookies/

I use this recipe too! Love it!

I love this thread because it goes to show that there isn't just one way. Every has their own "must do" or "must never ever do", and they all contradict each other. So here's my 2 cents, and my recipe. Find a recipe you love, and follow it exactly the first time. Some people like cookies crunchy, or chewy, or cakey, and not every recipe is going to be the perfect one for your tastes. I like chewy, so that's what I make, and get absolute rave reviews from chewy cookie lovers.

Butter - whatever is on sale - store brand is fine, unsalted. If your recipe calls for room temp, it's best to do it on the counter. Mine uses melted, which I love because I don't have to wait for it to sit out.

Salt - I use fine sea salt, but regular table salt will do.

Brown - dark.

Eggs - I usually have large, but for a regular single batch it wont change it drastically if you have extra large. While room temp eggs are good for baking, if I don't plan ahead I use them cold and they're fine.

Mixing - most recipes call for creaming the butter with sugar. Here's where you do want to incorporate air. That's what creaming the butter is. I also mix a good amount after the eggs go in. The point that you never ever want to over mix is when the flour goes in. Mix it on low until you can't see white flour any more and then stop. You don't want to mess with the gluten texture.

And of course, make sure your ingredients are fresh, like the baking soda.

I also very much concur with the poster above who cited the NY Times piece about letting your dough rest overnight if possible, but again, if I'm in a rush I don't and they're still wonderful.

Here's the recipe I swear by - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-big-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie/

Since the butter goes in melted, I just mix the butter and sugar for a minute or so. After the eggs and next additions I mix for several minutes until creamy looking. Then the dry ingredients only briefly. Get a good oven thermometer, to make sure you're making at the right temp (they cost about $3). And don't over bake - they never look quite done when they are, and they will settle down for another couple of minutes after baking.

If all of your baking consistently fails you, try recipes that call for weighing instead of measuring and see how that works. And definitely try the oven thermometer.

I make this recipe, because it's fun to watch. It makes cookies that "stand up." I used to make the toll-house recipe, and those cookies and great, but flat.

http://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/04/ultimate-stand-mixer-chocolate-chunk-cookies/

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for posting!! I also cut this out of Woman's World, but lost it when I moved... best recipe. You are right... NEVER melt butter completely... never a good outcome. My suggestions... never use margarine... if you want a chewier cookie, add about 3 TBS. milk when you add the eggs/vanilla. ENJOY!!! (For the one who might not have used baking soda, I did that once when I was a kid, and all I did was make miniature hockey pucks LOL NOT GOOD!!)

I totally disagree about the melted butter. I use this recipe, and all my son's friends beg for my cookies. I think the bread flour and fewer eggs are the key. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-recipe/index.html

Best bet -- use the Toll House recipe on the back of the bag. If you use that one, then just use US standard ingredients. It's a pretty idiot-proof recipe.


Butter -- regular old land-o-lakes stick butter. Anything else may have the wrong ratio of fat/water. I eat plugra on bread, but baking just use the regular stuff. I actually prefer salted to unsalted, but that's a taste thing. Take it out ahead of time and let it sit on the counter to be soft. If you MUST microwave it, use the "soften" setting for a very short time. If it gets melty put it back in the fridge. If your cookies went too flat it may be because your butter was too melted from being in the microwave.

Salt --regular old Mortons. But do use it.

Light brown sugar (dark brown will add more moisture)

Eggs -- large eggs. US recipes assume large eggs unless otherwise stated. I never worry about taking them out of the fridge, but you can.

Make sure your baking powder is fresh.

Flour -- use all-purpose flour. I never sift flour, but I do aerate it with a spoon or fork before I scoop and level the measuring cup. I do measure it out into a separate bowl and mix in the baking powder/soda (I don't have the recipe in front of me to remember which one it uses) and the salt.

I mix by hand with a wooden spoon because I'm old fashioned, but a mixer is fine to cream the butter. You do want to cream the butter and sugar together until it's fluffy and beat the eggs in well. But once you're at the flour stage, don't go overboard with the mixer.

Also, get an oven thermometer to test your oven temperature to make sure it's what it says it is. Also, let the oven preheat to the recommended temperature.

one good trick if you have the time -- make the dough and put it in the fridge overnight.

There was an article in the NY Times about this a few years ago and I swear by it. It helps add flavor: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/09chip.html?pagewanted=all

Also, make sure you use real vanilla. I usually add in a few extra drops.

Thank you for posting!! I also cut this out of Woman's World, but lost it when I moved... best recipe. You are right... NEVER melt butter completely... never a good outcome. My suggestions... never use margarine... if you want a chewier cookie, add about 3 TBS. milk when you add the eggs/vanilla. ENJOY!!! (For the one who might not have used baking soda, I did that once when I was a kid, and all I did was make miniature hockey pucks LOL NOT GOOD!!)

I had a recipe that used half flour half ground up oatmeal. Those were the BEST cookies!