I LOVE chocolate chip cookies. I have been thinking about making them for a couple of weeks. To me they are the ultimate comfort food, a warm, buttery, chocolaty memory from my childhood. The whole milk and cookies thing when I came home from school. So today I had to make some. Also, I wanted to get the recipe into my permanent recipe index, because sometimes I don’t use chocolate chips and don’t have access to the Toll House recipe on the package. Instead I chop up semi sweet chocolate from a big (11 pound) bar of Callebaut that I keep on hand.
And, I have to admit, I wanted to photograph the cookies stacked up Martha Stewart style, with that one cookie leaning against the stack. Did she invent that?
When I did a Google search for Chocolate Chip Cookies there were
3,100,000 results, so I know I’m not giving you an original recipe.
Every cook has a favorite take on this cookie, but I think the Toll House recipe on the chip package is the best one by far and it is the one I always make. If I made any other one my family would be in an uproar.
I was curious where chocolate chip cookies came from and discovered they were first conceived in Whitman, Massachusetts in 1930. Ken and Ruth Wakefield opened an inn that was on a road between New Bedford and Boston. It was called the Toll House Inn because stage coaches used to stop to pay a toll at the gates.
Mrs. Wakefield accidentally invented the chocolate chip cookie when she was making a butter cookie called “Butter Drop-Do’s.” She was out of nuts so she substituted a Nestle chocolate bar which she broke into little pieces. She called them “Chocolate Crispies, “ much to the delight of her restaurant customers.
Nestle began to sell a lot of the chocolate bars after a Boston newspaper ran her popular recipe. In 1939 Nestle began making chocolate chips and in 1940 bought the Toll House name from the Wakefields. The recipe has been printed on the back of the package ever since.
The chocolate chip cookie became very popular during World War II when GIs from Massachusetts shared those sent from home, and this began a nation-wide clamor for the recipe. On July 9, 1997, Massachusetts made the chocolate chip cookie the Official State Cookie to honor its origin in their state. I think if there was a vote, it would also be considered the United States National Cookie. What do you think?
Did I say I LOVE chocolate chip cookies?
Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup butter (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional. I NEVER put nuts in my chocolate chip cookies)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugars with a fork until creamy.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the dough mixture. Add half the flour and incorporate, then mix in the rest of the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Drop 14 rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. I use a 1 1/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop.
6. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from sheet immediately to rack or paper.
7. Try not to eat too much of the cookie dough while you are baking, Michele.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
These cookies looked so delicious and simple that I decided to make them! Sadly, for some reason, no matter which kind of recipe I use for chocolate chip cookies, they always come out puffy and cake-like. I want my cookies to be thin and yummy-looking like yours! Do you have any idea why I might have this problem?
These cookies are very good! A bit crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I just tried one and it was a bit warm. I’ll definitely make them again.