Thursday, January 8, 2009

Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie Perfection

I have been on a constant mission to create a chocolate chip cookie that is chewy and delicious and more similar to Mrs. Field's Famous. Even after obtaining the supposed recipe that Mrs. Field's uses, I was unable to conquer my dream.

Until today.

Today I decided to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I was going to use the regular recipe on the back of the Nestle Chocolate Chips package until I noticed something peeking out of the inside of the Land o' Lakes butter carton. I ripped the carton open, perhaps a little too zealously, and discovered a new recipe for a Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie.


I compared the ingredients and discovered that the differences were the use of both baking powder and soda as well as 1/2 C more butter and 2 cups more flour. So, after discovering that these were indeed a healthier cookie, I decided to test out the recipe.

I whipped up a batch in no time at all and was soon putting 14 gigantic balls of dough into the oven. A friend gave me a tip recently on the art of the chewy cookie warning me that when the cookies are ever so slightly brown, but look still kind of raw, they should be removed from the oven. This tip agreed with the butter carton warning telling me not to overbake (in capital letters).

This cookie and recipe has helped me to achieve cookie perfection.

Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie Perfection
via Land O' Lakes
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) real semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips


Heat oven to 375°F. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl; set aside.

Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks by hand.

Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.) Let stand 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. .

TIP: For 2 1/2-inch cookies, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. 4 dozen cookies.

***UPDATE**** I made these cookies again but used only 3 1/2 cups of flour and they were still delicious. Also, I have a sneaking suspision that I forgot the white sugar and only used the brown. Still good. Also I used Ghiradelli chocolate chips which are ginormous (and therefore better)

2 comments:

Jenn said...

Thanks!! I too, have hunted for the perfect choclate chip cookie recipe. Jenny referred me to your blog. :) Do you use a baking stone or a silicone mat on your cookie sheets? Any tips on the hardware side of things?

Carrie said...

I didn't use anything on the cooking sheet--and my cookie sheet is not very nice. In think in this case there is so much butter in the cookies that they can't possibly burn on the bottom.

One thing I found was that these cookies were way better the first day than a couple of days later.