Chocolate chip cookies - King Arthur Flour

One of these days I'm going to take the 2 days required to make the most perfect chocolate chip cookie (like this or this one). But sometimes, it's 7 pm at night and you (or more often your boy) get a hunkering for a warm and chewy chocolate chip cookie, and you don't really have the energy to brown some butter or stuff it with Nutella.

So instead you Google recipes, give them a thorough vetting, and decide to whip up a very easy batch of giant cookies from King Arthur Flour (a trusted source for baked goods).

As big as his head!

For a no-wait, no-browning butter, no-stuffing Nutella recipe these cookies were fantabulous. Chewy yet with a bit of that crispiness that I love and loaded with chocolate chips, they definitely hit the sweet spot!

Yours in late-night baking,
Jacqueline

Chocolate chip cookies, from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, right from the fridge, or at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I replaced this with butter)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
sea salt (for finishing), optional

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
• In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening (if using), salt, vanilla and almond extracts, vinegar, and baking soda. Beating until smooth and creamy.
• Beat in the egg, again beating till smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
• Mix in the flour, then the chips. (At this point you can chill the dough if you want; supposedly it makes for a better cookie. But if you're impatient, just go ahead and continue with the recipe.)
• Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4" balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave 2" between the cookies on all sides as they'll spread quite a bit.
• Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, till their edges are chestnut brown and their tops are light golden brown, almost blonde. 
• Remove them from the oven, sprinkle with some sea salt, and cool on the pan till they've set enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the remaining dough.