I know, I know. Isn't this a standard Baking 101 recipe? Chocolate chip cookies are hardly rocket science.
However in my recent interest in the whole foods movement (you can read about it here and here--this is some stuff I've come across and have found very helpful--oh, and those sites probably only scratch the surface) I am trying to stay away from "man made" fats like vegetable oils and shortenings and going back to fats like good ol' butter. And who doesn't love butter?
However in my recent interest in the whole foods movement (you can read about it here and here--this is some stuff I've come across and have found very helpful--oh, and those sites probably only scratch the surface) I am trying to stay away from "man made" fats like vegetable oils and shortenings and going back to fats like good ol' butter. And who doesn't love butter?
This butter love presents a problem though. I don't know about you, but whenever I make cookies with all butter--while they taste fabulous, they usually are a big pooled mess when they come out of the oven. They simply don't retain their shape. But then I got smart.
After I scooped out my cookies on the cookie sheet, I stuck each sheet in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. (The freezer would work too and with half the time, but I just don't have the room!) The cookies get nice and hard and then I pop them in the oven and bake as directed--and possibly a minute or two longer. And will you look at these beauties? Nice, round cookies that retain their shape. No pooling.
In addition, I've been using more and more whole wheat flour in recipes to make my baked goods a little more nutritious...so when I make things like chocolate chip cookies, I only have to feel half as bad.
At least that is what I tell myself.
This recipe is derived from the one my mom gave me in my recipe box. I have modified it, but they are still darn good!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
2/3 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar (the original calls for 1/2 cup...I am trying to reduce the sugar too...)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1-2 cups chocolate chips
Cream sugars and butter. Add in vanilla and eggs, mix until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls or cookie scoop on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes--or about 12 if you don't refrigerate. :)
Now, when I ran this by DH (using whole wheat flour in the cookies), his response was "What's the point of chocolate chip cookies?" That isn't what I wanted to hear...so then I did what any good wife would do...I ignored him and made them anyway. And guess what? He ate like three in a row. Score one for me!
This recipe is linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap
We Are THAT Family Works For Me Wednesday
11 comments:
Yum! Can't beat chocolate chip cookies! They are my all time favorite. For some reason I never get as many as it says (might be the dough eating). LOL! Great tip!
Thanks for sharing!
Have a great day!
Sherry
Butter is best! Great tip about the freezer, thanks!
I've wondered the very same thing - what a great tip! I wonder if it would work to make the cookie dough ahead, freeze in long rolls and slice? Could I bake it frozen? Would it retain the nice cookie shape?
Yep, I'm a butter-cc cookie person too, and I learned a long time ago that chilling the dough keeps them from spreading too much during baking. I'm sure to only put my dough onto cool cookie sheets too.
:)
ButterYum
Mmmm, who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies? I've been using whole wheat flour a lot too and am getting used to it. Now anything with just white flour tastes funny :-)
I'm anxious to try this, Jackie!!
Actually, chocolate chip cookies are rocket science. I have a wonderful recipe too and when I brought my cookies to a function, a woman in her 70s told me it was the recipe she'd been searching for for perfect choc chip cookies all her life! Great tip if you need a beautiful presentation. I am going to try whole wheat and less sugar if I can convince myself to mess with perfection.
I do this too, for most of my cookie recipes. It's also easier to roll them, as they are less sticky and you don't have TOO much mess on your hands.
I have a bag of white whole wheat flour that my family will refuse if they can SEE a difference. It might work in cookies! Thank you for the tips!
Dropping in from GCCR Recipe Swap. What a neat tip! I'm making chocolate chip cookies tonight and will try your tip out. Thanks :)
That's a great tip - I'll have to try that! Thanks for sharing!
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