My Favorite Cookie Recipe

Ok this is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe ever - and I have had lots of chocolate chip cookies in my 23 years of life, so that's really saying something. One morning when I was watching the Today show, they featured these cookies. They are the creation of pastry chef Richard Ruskell, and he won the Food Network Challenge "best cookie" episode with this recipe - deservingly so.

From my limited baking experience, I have picked up several cookie-making tips that are essential for making great cookies.

• Use real vanilla - not the imitation vanilla extract
• Use real butter - not margarine, not "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" (what is it actually?), not anything else...just deal with the extra calories, they are well worth it
• Let the ingredients (especially the eggs and butter) sit out at room temperature for several hours before baking, otherwise it affects the consistency and texture of the cookies
• Depending on how you like the cookies (I like mine slightly doughy in the middle) bake them for a minute less than the instructed baking time
• Put wax paper on the cookie sheet to keep the bottoms from burning
• When making chocolate chip cookies, splurge on the good chocolate - I like the Ghiradelli chips personally

Ok, so those are my tips for making good cookies - and now I am pleased to say (maybe I should be ashamed actually) that I can give the recipe for these cookies from memory. Thank you Richard Ruskell for this recipe! Just to make sure he gets proper credit I will cite the recipe - but I promise, I am quoting from memory here.

Richard Ruskell's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

 

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups the best chocolate chips you can find

*It's really important for this recipe that all of your ingredients are at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl (or even better, in a Kitchenaid stand mixer) cream together the two sticks of butter (room temp) and both sugars
After this has reached a smooth consistency, add in the 2 (room temp) eggs and the 2 tsp (real) vanilla extract until combined.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Once mixed thoroughly, add this into the liquid mixture...slowly so you don't end up with a huge mess.
After this has been combined, add your 2 cups of chocolate chips.
Drop on the cookie sheet in rounded scoops and you are ready to bake! The recipe says to bake at 350 for 10 minutes, but I always bake them for 9...just a personal preference.
Enjoy with a glass of milk.