My Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

My husband is a self-proclaimed “cookie monster.” While I prefer a cake for my birthday (or more specifically the birthday cake from Milk Bar in New York, which I order and proceed to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner) he wants cookies. Last week he turned 30 and while celebrations have had to be more limited this year, I knew one thing for sure, I could not skimp on the cookies for my Cookie Monster. His favorite cookie? You guessed it, chocolate chip! While I woke him up with Ina Garten’s overnight Belgian waffles for his birthday breakfast, I made sure the cookie train started rolling for on-demand enjoyment throughout the day. If you too want to board the cookie train, grab some butter, and all aboard! These cookies are the perfect texture of soft but also crisp, and sweet, and salty! I guarantee you will not be able to eat just one; make them for yourself, or for the cookie monster in your life.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of softened butter (1 cup)

  • I used European, salted butter. But I like a little salt with my chocolate, so if that does not fit your vision, use unsalted butter here instead.

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup of sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 12 oz or 2 cups chocolate (dealer’s choice of wafers, chips, or chopped chunks!)

• Optional additions: 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a stand mixer, cream together sugars and butter, on a medium speed. Add in eggs one at a time until well combined, and then add vanilla (and almond extract, if so desired!).

3. In a large bowl combine, flour. salt, baking powder and soda, and, if you feel the need, espresso powder, mix together.

4. Turn the stand mixer back on a gentle stir and slowly add in the dry ingredients. Once combined, add in the chocolate of your choice and mix in!

5. Shape into golf ball size dough balls and place them onto a baking sheet. I line my baking sheet with a Silpat.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done to your liking. I found that the 17-18 minute mark ensures the gooey center and crunchy top—also known as the perfect cookie.

'Kila Cookies

When my husband and I went to Bali for our honeymoon, I discovered Amankila’s chocolate chip mini cookies that they delivered in the most adorable jar, twice a day! When jet lagged, I would wake up in the middle of the night and polish off the jar, and wake up in a pile of crumbs. They replenished during breakfast and turn down service, and yes, I asked my husband to hunt down the “Cookie Man” while we were on the beach too. Don’t worry, I have provided proof of my nightly cookie thief antics below for your entertainment.

I’m not sure if my husband had to beg, borrow, or steal, but upon check out, the manager had graciously typed it out for me, so I could bring it back to Texas! The original recipe was measured in grams, so I have been perfecting moving the recipe to volume measurements instead of weight, and adding my own touches here and there. You can make mini cookies or roll out large ones! Make it your own, I use a food processor and brown some of the butter to add a nutty flavor to put my own spin on things!

We lovingly refer to them as ‘Kila Cookies in our house. Warning this makes large batch, so you’ll have plenty to freeze to enjoy later!

Method:

In a food processor combine:

-4 cups of oats, 4 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp kosher salt and pulse to combine, until oats are powdery

In a sauce pan:

-brown 1 stick of butter and set to the side (the Balinese are not afraid of butter!!), set out 2 1/2 sticks to get to room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

-2 cups of white sugar, 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, the browned and room temp. butter and cream together.

-add in 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp honey.

-then add in 4 beaten eggs to the sugar/butter party (I use extra large)—one at a time

-then mix the dry into the wet

TIP: when mix wet into dry, you get pockets of flour and a crusty bowl. Dry into wet, provides a more supple dough (use a stand mixer if you fancy!).

Roll out as big or as small as you want! Bake at 325.

Mini cookies bake for about 10 minutes and the larger about about 15-20 minutes.

Who took the cookie from the cookie jar? I said Savannah took the cookie(s) from the cookie jar!

One more because that pool and that horizon….