So you want to make chocolate chip cookies? Don't worry. Even if you haven't ever made cookies from scratch before, you will be able to make chocolate chip cookies. They are very easy.
Here is what you will need:
An oven
A small bowl (roughly the size of a large cereal bowl)
A large bowl
Measuring spoon: one teaspoon
Measuring cups: one fourth, three fourths, one cup
Teaspoon
Large spoon
Electric mixer or wooden spoon
Cookie sheets. The process is much easier if you have at least two or three cookie sheets.
Cooling racks, or a flat cool surface on which to put the cookies after they come out of the oven.
Spatula
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups flour (all purpose white flour will work fine)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (or two sticks) of softened unsalted butter (other kinds of butter and margarine will work equally well, but we like unsalted the best)
¾ cup white sugar (granulated)
¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring or vanilla extract
2 eggs (large eggs are the best)
Chocolate chips (most recipes call for two cups, but you can put in as many or as little as you want)
Extra ingredients: nuts, candy, etc (optional)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to three hundred and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit.
In your small bowl, mix together the 2 ¼ cups flour, the teaspoon of baking soda and the teaspoon of salt. After stirring these products together, set the small bowl aside.
In a large bowl, use your electric mixer (or a wooden spoon) to beat together the cup (or two sticks) of unsalted butter that has been softened. The butter will beat a lot easier if you give it a quick zap in the microwave before putting it into the large bowl. Add the ¾ white sugar, ¾ brown sugar and the teaspoon of vanilla flavoring or extract. Beat these ingredients together until they form a creamy mixture. Once the mixture is creamy, beat in each of the large eggs. Only beat in one at a time. This makes the mixing process much easier.
Slowly add in the small bowl's flour, salt and baking soda mixture to the large bowl's creamy mixture. Once you have beat all of the ingredients together into a smooth but malleable dough, you are free to add in whatever extra ingredients you wish! Obviously you'll put in chocolate chips, but some people like to add nuts or candy or extra spices.
Use the spare teaspoon to scoop the dough and drop it onto the ungreased cookie sheets. Make sure that you do not grease or spray the cookie sheets because doing so will cause the bottom of the cookies to burn. Cook the dough for nine to ten minutes depending on how well your oven cooks. For chewy cookies, take them out of the oven earlier. If you want to make chocolate chip cookies that are crunchier, cook them for a couple of minutes more.
Tip #1
You can save cookie making time by mixing your ingredients while your oven preheats. That way your dough can go right into the oven when you finish mixing your ingredients. You can also save time by cleaning up as you go along. Rinse off the measuring spoons and the bowls as you finish using them. Wash the rest of the dishes as the cookies are baking and cooling. |
Tip #2
Shortening is one of the single worst things you can put into your body. If a recipe calls for shortening you should substitute butter or margarine for it. Butter and margarine can be used interchangeably unless a recipe specifically says to use one or the others. Don't worry about the calories and talk yourself into using low calorie or whipped butter. These substitutes will ruin the taste of the cookies. |
Tip #3
Rotate your cookie sheets. Cookies form best on ungreased and cooled cookie sheets. After you transfer cookies from the sheet to the cooling rack, you should rinse off the used sheet and get it prepped for another batch of cookies. Using a warmed sheet can overcook the cookies. |
