the BEST chocolate chip cookies

Many thanks to my kids’ Alpha-Bakery cookbook from Gold Medal for this recipe! I have no idea where we got this cookbook (my suspicions and weak memory tell me it’s from our baby shower), but it’s definitely a vintage thrift that I’m so obsessed with. It’s the ONLY cookbook we have in our home. And every recipe I make out of here is legit GOLD (no pun intended).

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One of the main reasons I think this cookie recipe works so well is because it encourages you to hand mix your cookies. Maybe it’s just me, and because I’m lazy in the kitchen, but I use our stand or hand mixers whenever I can.

But by hand mixing the cookie dough, you are really preserving and not over mixing the ingredients, leaving these cookies gooey and soft!

I also, never, NEVER, have pre-softened butter on hand. Usually our baking is on a whim. A last ditch attempt to calm the monster beast children in my home during an impossibly long day of motherhood. So I pop a stick in the microwave (GASP, did she just say microwave!? The horror!!) for 20-30 seconds until it’s just starting to melt, then I hand mix it until it’s softened down into an even texture. Mixing the melted with the less melted parts. This isn’t technically sound, obvs. But it works for us and our imperfect lives.

This recipe makes about 48 medium sized cookies. So we usually flash freeze half of our dough for later. Scoop the dough into individual cookie balls until you are out of dough. Then, set unbaked cookies on a plate or flat surface, evenly spaced out, and stick them in the freezer for a few hours. Once fully frozen, remove from freezer and place them all in a zip lock bag, and then back in the freezer until you’re ready to bake. If you happen to eat them straight from the freezer (as they are the perfect pop-able size), don’t say I didn’t warn you about uncooked egg and salmonella drama.

OF COURSE, full credit for this recipe goes to the Alpha Bakery Children’s Cookbook by Gold Medal.

And of course, as always, if you are making cookies, I cannot NOT mention our most favorite of all time cookie baking essentials. A baker is only as good as her tools, or so I presume.

Our Fave Baking Tools

• AirBake Cookie Sheet
• OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scooper
• Wilton 3 Tier Collapsable Cooling Racks

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1 cup of margarine or butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 package (12 ounces) of semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts (if desired)
• **1 tsp vanilla (original recipe does not call for this, but we add it in!)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°.
2. Mix both sugars, margarine and egg (and vanilla if using) in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.
3. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff).
4. Stir in chocolate chips, and nuts if desired.
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes (centers will be soft). Let cookies cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with spatula.
7. Let fully cool on cooling rack.
8. Store in airtight container.
9. Freeze any unused dough.
10. Makes about 48 cookies.

We love LOVE this recipe, so many thanks to Gold Medal for this recipe and family favorite cookbook! If you try the recipe out, let me know how it goes for you in the comments! I love to hear from you!

xoxo

Amy