Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 2½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

  1. Gather your ingredients, making sure your butter is softened, and your eggs are room temperature.
  2. Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl for about 4 minutes. (This is the most important step.)
  3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
  4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.
  5. To measure the flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling off with knife (rather than dipping your cup into the flour). Scooped properly, a cup of flour should weigh 4.25 ounces. Stir in the flour, one cup at a time.
  6. Stir in the chocolate chips, and walnuts (if using).
  7. Chill the dough about 2 hours before baking, to prevent spreading. This is essential if you want a cookie that’s still a little gooey in the middle.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  9. Roll dough into walnut size balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets
  10. Put baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake in the preheated oven until they just start to get a light golden color on the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully at the 8 minute mark, as the cookies will flatten and broken very quickly at this point. Be careful not to overbake. Best to bake just one cookie sheet at a time and leave the rest of the dough in the refrigerator until you use it.
  11. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven. This step prevents tearing and keeps each cookie in one piece. Then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: these cookies are very thin and sweet. Not my favorite recipe.

Family Recipes