I’m sorry about this. If anyone is on a diet, this is a good time to stop reading this post. Check back in a few days and maybe I will have posted a nice healthy salad. Not likely, but you never know. 🙂

But back to the cookies. I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to find the ultimate thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie, and dare I say this may be it? Bold words, I know, but that is how good these cookies are. They are perfect for summer potlucks, gifts to friends, or just to keep around the house for family and unexpected guests. (From my experience, that last option may be dangerous).

If you’re looking for big chewy bakery style cookies, look no further. These cookies look beautiful, taste rich and buttery, and have a great chocolate chunk to cookie ratio. As I look at the pictures and write this post, I’ve made a spur of the moment decision to make another batch. I think my husband will be pleased. This is my go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies, and I predict it will become yours.

*These cookies are best served the day they are made, but can be frozen for longer storage

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp (10 5/8 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 oz) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
~1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I prefer chocolate chunks!)

Directions:

Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and heat the oven to 325. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chunks to taste.

Roll a scant 1/4 cup of dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough's uneven surface. This will give the cookies a bakery-like appearance. Place the the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to harden, yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15-18 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets to retain their chewy texture.

from Baking Illustrated

I’ve been staring at the pictures in this post for longer than I’d care to admit, trying to figure out what to write that will convince you to make these bars. The only thing running through my head is: “They’re soooo good!” And while that is true, and a definite reason you should make them, that one phrase does not constitute a blog post.  And so I have to fall back on telling you how easy they are to make. How incredibly soft and chewy they are. And how I couldn’t stop eating them. Actually, let’s not talk about that last one.

These peanut butter chocolate chip bars definitely fall into the category of a dessert that is ridiculously easy to make, but tastes absolutely incredible. A coworker brought them into work one day and after tasting them I immediately begged her for the recipe. I’ve made them twice so far, with rave reviews each time. Seriously, this is one of those bars (cookies?) that makes people take one bite, turn to you in pure happiness, and say: “This is soooo good.” To be honest, I did have one person say they were too rich for his tastes. But since I’ve never said that about a dessert in my life I think I’ll discount his opinion.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups Bisquick mix
1 bag (12 oz) mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 325. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix peanut butter and eggs until well blended. Stir in the brown sugar until combined. Stir in Bisquick mix just until moistened, then stir in chocolate chips. Spread mixture in prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

If you’re looking for a soft, chewy, fudgy, chocolatey, cookie – look no futher! This recipe comes from Mike’s cousin and as soon as I tasted them I knew I needed to make them. I wasted no time in asking for the recipe and making them as birthday treats for a coworker. Everyone loved them and I overheard one woman walking out the kitchen with a cookie in her hand saying “These cookies are so good.” Comments like that always make me smile 🙂

These truly are some of the fudgiest chocolate cookies I’ve ever tasted. Be careful not to overbake them, as that will make them a little cake-ier. I erred on the side of slightly underbaking them and they were perfect.

Double Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

from Laura Perron