Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these a few weeks ago and somehow they slipped through the cracks of blogging.   But here they are!  Honestly, when I started writing this post, it had been a few weeks since I'd made them... but I decided to make them again today.  Best decision of the day, for sure.

What's awesome about these cookies is how big and soft they are.  I've never made cookies this big before.  It's hard not to laugh as you're making these cookies a scant quarter cup each.  I think the day I made these I just wanted to make something sweet and just started searching on browneyedbaker.com.  When I found these I couldn't resist.  If you haven't yet found your perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, give this one a try.  These are certainly worth your time to make at least once if you're still on the market for the "perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe".

Oh, also, mine might be slightly larger than they're supposed to be.  The recipe from brown eyed baker is supposed to make 18.  But I found it's easier to put 8 giant cookies on my cookie sheets than 9, so I gave in and only made 16.

Also, I made these cookies without any measuring! ... almost.  The weights of the ingredients are included below and she strongly suggested using weight instead of measuring cups to make them.  So I did!  Until I came to the chocolate chips.  I ended up measuring only the last ingredient.  Oh well.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 18 cookies
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed (7 oz.) light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz.) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1.  Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower- middle positions.  Heat the oven to 325°.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Measure and whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt together, in a medium bowl; set aside.

3.  Mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.  Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined.  Stir in the chips to taste.

4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball.  Pull apart into two equal halves.  Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough's uneven surface.  Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

5. Bake until cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to harden, yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time.  Cool the cookies on the sheets.  Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a wide metal spatula.

Source: Browneyedbaker's blog, originally from Baking Illustrated, pg. 434