I started making these shortly after my oldest child was born eight and a half years ago, and I have probably made several hundred of them since then, but it was not until a year or two ago that I realized my favorite thing about this dough...
You can freeze it!
That is right...hot, yummy chocolate chip cookies whenever you want them.
The recipe makes about five dozen small cookies, so it will last your family a while. Or, if you are single, it could literally last you two months (which is as long as I would recommend freezing them for).
You start with a dough that is quick and easy, you make some cookies balls with a small scooper, you freeze or bake them, and you have cookies. It is that simple.
Here is the dough...this is the moment when you have decide if you are the type of person who takes the risk and eats the dough raw,* or the type of person that needs to wait until it is cooked...
Half of my cookies today are going straight to the freezer. If using this awesome option line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the cookies on the sheet in neat scooped shapes and freeze for about six hours. When the dough is fully frozen you can place it into a large plastic freezer bag for up to two months. When you are ready to cook them follow the same cooking instructions as the recipe below. Check the cookies after eight or nine minutes and see if they need an additional minute or two, usually they do not.
I had a tray of these in the refrigerator tonight and my friend who was over asked if I had rules against eating one in this raw state. As mentioned above, there is a risk associated with eating raw or undercooked eggs, but since these are pasteurized and organic I told her that if she was comfortable with it I was too. (Plus I had already eaten a spoonful or two while I was making the dough...details...)
Whenever I make the dough I have to taste-test just a few to make sure that I did not make any mistakes, so I baked some up for the family as an afternoon snack. Here are my nine little cookie soldiers about to come out of the oven...
The finished product...
Elizabeth’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup golden brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 extra large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla**
2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant teaspoon table salt
12-14 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Add the egg and mix until well incorporated.
Add vanilla and mix for one minute.
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients into the
mixture about ½ cup at a time until fully incorporated.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed until creamy.
Stir in chocolate chips on low for about 10 seconds.
Use a scoop to make uniform size cookies. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed until creamy.
Stir in chocolate chips on low for about 10 seconds.
Use a scoop to make uniform size cookies. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes.
*Because raw or undercooked eggs cause the majority of Salmonella illnesses, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend eating eggs that are raw or undercooked. However, the USDA also says, “In-shell pasteurized eggs may be used safely without cooking.”--Copied directly from the USDA
**Using high quality vanilla really makes a difference in baked goods. Please consider investing in the high-test. You will thank yourself later.
I made these yesterday for a meeting and they were a huge hit! Of course my kiddos want to eat all of the leftovers! I might have tasted one or three!
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