Cookie Perfection

If it weren’t for Molly and Joy, I don’t think I would have ever heard of the famous New York Times chocolate chip cookies way over here on the other side of the world. The Internet is such a wonderful thing. I’m so thankful to have found the food blogging world. Where else do likeminded people get as excited about cookies as I do!

I’ve made chocolate chip cookies before, of course, but they were never quite right – some were too oily, others had a poor chocolate-to-cookie ratio, and others still spread too wide or remained too soft and cake-like for my taste. It is abundantly clear that a cookie is a particularly subjective thing. But I’d say without hesitation that these are the best chocolate chip cookies to ever emerge from my oven. A little bit crunchy and a little bit chewy, they are just the way I like them, the very essence of cookie perfection.

The cookies came together easily and quickly, and because the process is split into two parts, it can even be tackled on a weeknight. I think the most challenging part is keeping your hands off the dough while it chills in the fridge. In fact my mother apologised when I came home, saying I might have one less cookie to bake than I expected. When baked, the mounds of cookie dough spread into wide discs of crackly-topped perfection. I sprinkled them with sea salt from Western Australia given to me by Steve, and express-posted him some cookies in return. I hope he likes them as much as I do.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from The New York Times
Makes 24

• 480g plain flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 280g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
• 225g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 500g bittersweet chocolate chips
• Sea salt, to sprinkle

1. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk well, then set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. This can be messy, so hold a clean dish towel over the top of the bowl. Add the chocolate chips and mix briefly to incorporate.
4. Press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
5. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Remove the bowl of cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow it to soften slightly. Line a baking try with non-stick baking paper.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop six mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies onto the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.