Impossible to find fault: Amazing chocolate chip cookies

’Tis the season for cookies, and every day till Christmas, Star journalists are taking turns baking a recipe from the Star’s extensive archives. Follow our holiday baking adventures here on The Star, or get the recipes first plus some inspiration for your inbox with our free Cookie Calendar newsletter. Sign up here.
Grant is a 25-year journalism veteran who doesn’t bake. Hadden is a 6-foot-1 14-year old who eats five to 10 cookies a day.
Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies was first published in 2020 and is a straight-down-the-middle, classic family-pleaser.
You have enough challenges in life, let’s not make cookies one of them.
“Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies” is a super-easy-to-make recipe that results in comforting biscuits and joyful gorgers. CCCs are considered the King of Cookies by many and this exemplar perfects that universally adored flavour mix of chocolate, butter and brown sugar.
“The cookie overall is just amazing, but, it gets even better with milk,” said East-Side Sami G, a 14-year-old cookie connoisseur who frequents the Ellis kitchen. “The sugar is balanced. A nice crust, when it’s cold or warm, and when you break it apart it is a very soft cookie. Especially the chocolate, it melts in your mouth.” Both Sami and Hadden recommended microwaving the each cookie for 10-12 seconds.
These cookies were universally mourned when they were only crumbs a few days after baking.
ALTERATION: The 1/4 cup-per-unit recommendation creates those giant I-am-lined-up-in-a-mall-and-feel-shame size of cookie. For the second and third batches we switched to a mere heaping tablespoon and found it much easier to covertly down five-plus cookies in a sitting.
It is impossible to find fault with such a crowd-pleasing icon.
3-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
1-1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cup good-quality milk chocolate chips (about 12 oz/375 g)
1-1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer), cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on Medium for about 15 seconds, just until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
Turn off the mixer, add flour mixture, then turn mixer to Low and mix for about 30 seconds, just until combined (do not overmix). Remove bowl from mixer stand, if necessary. Add chocolate chips and, using a large spoon, stir gently until evenly distributed.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Using a 1/4-cup (60 mL) cookie scoop or measuring cup, drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, until edges of cookies are just starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for at least 5 minutes. Repeat with additional batches. Serve.
To freeze the dough before cooking, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1/4-cup (60 mL) cookie scoop or measuring cup, drop batter onto baking sheet, next to each other but not touching. Freeze for about 45 minutes, until cookie dough is solid. Remove baking sheet from freezer and place frozen dough balls in 2 labeled gallon-size (4 L) freezer bags. Seal, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, place frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart. Let thaw for about 5 minutes while oven heats. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake in preheated oven, one sheet at a time, for 15 to 17 minutes, until edges of cookies are just starting to turn golden brown (add a few extra minutes of baking time if needed). Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for 5 minutes. Repeat with additional batches.