Chocolate Chip Cookies

I try to make some kind of treat for each of my students' birthdays. 

Sometimes there are event conflicts and/or they don't tell me it's their birthday... 

but for the most part I try hard to make something special for each birthday.

Yesterday for Steven's big 18, we had some awesome-socks chocolate chip cookies. 

It's just a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but they came out just right! 

Full of chocolate chips? Check.

Crisp on the outside? Check.

Soft and gooey on the inside? Check.

Made with staple pantry ingredients? Check.

This is my new go-to. Just as quick as any of those bagged mixes 

and ten times better, guaranteed! 

Here's what you'll need:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Here's what you do:

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions.  Preheat oven 325°.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

Whisk dry ingredients (minus the sugars) together in a medium bowl; set aside.  With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined.  Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and beat at low-speed (or stir slowly) just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll the dough into balls and press the top slightly to spread, or use a melon scooper to make perfect rounds.  Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (approximately 11-14 minutes). Do not overbake.

Cool and try not to eat all of these at once! Serve with a big glass of milk :) 

Adapted from Annie's Eats