What’s the first treat that you remember really craving as a child? For me, and for so many others, it’s the trusty chocolate chip cookie. There’s just something about a batch of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven that just smells like childhood, I think. And it’s a love affair that lasts, for most people, a lifetime! But sometimes you just can’t find the recipe that works for you- it’s a fussy recipe, or it calls for some obscure ingredient that you didn’t even know could be baked in a cookie, or you maybe you tried to make some once and ended up baking bricks instead. The recipe I’m going to share with you is the one I’ve grown up with and has shown itself to be foolproof for over 35 years. Give it a try, I think you’ll like it!
This morning I had a friend ask me to send her the recipe link to my chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I just had to laugh. A blog about cookies, and I’ve neglected the OG cookie that everyone loves. She and I were both shocked that I’ve written about sugar cookies and Swedish cookies and everything else under the sun, but somehow never got around to posting this one. Everyone that I’ve made these for has been a fan. Many have asked for the recipe, and all that did were able to to make them just as I did without any struggle. This recipe is an old fashioned favorite.
First of all, put your mixer away for these babies. No stand mixer (or hand mixer) is invited to this cookie party. You’ll need nothing but a spoon and your two hands. That means that, yes, you’re going to have messy hands during the course of this recipe. But messy in the best way possible, I think! If your hands must be coated in something- let it always be cookie dough, right? I don’t see a lot of chocolate chip recipes that call for a bit of mixing by hand (also known as breading) because it’s pretty old school, but I think that may be what gives this recipe it’s edge. It’s also great fun for little kids to help with. My littles cannot get enough of helping with this recipe, and actually helped me mix and roll all the cookies you’ll see in the photos on this page. Just wash your hands well before you begin, and enjoy the experience!
Because your hands will be occupied once you dive into the recipe, it’s a really good idea to measure out as many of the ingredients as you can ahead of time. This recipe calls for eggs to be lightly beaten in a separate bowl before you add them to the dough, so do that first and set the small bowl aside. You can also measure out your shortening and brown sugar before beginning, and cut the top off your bag of chocolate chips so you aren’t fumbling with scissors. Make sure you also prep your baking sheets with parchment paper before you begin. Everything you can do ahead of time, go ahead and do.
Finally, watch your cookies as they bake. This recipe calls for a baking time of about 10 minutes, but it’s very oven dependent. Goodness knows I’ve used a lot of different ovens over the years and cross-country moves, and that time has ranged from 8 minutes up to 12. You want to pull the cookies out when they’re just turning golden brown around the edges. They’ll still look puffy in the middle, but let them sit on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes after they come out of the oven and they will firm up as they cool, while still remaining chewy in the middle. These are not meant to be thick like a brownie or crispy like a nut cookie. They are meant to be bites of soft, decadent happiness in your mouth.
You can cut this recipe in half without any issues. The full recipe makes about 9 dozen cookies that are about 2″ across each, which may be more than you thought you needed- although no one complains about that in my house! With all that said, let’s get baking!
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups flour all purpose
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup sugar granulated
- 2 cups Crisco (vegetable shortening)
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 eggs large
- 1 chocolate chips large package
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the brown sugar and bread together with your hands.
- Add the Crisco and vanilla extract, continuing to bread with your hands.
- Lightly beat the eggs and then add them to the bowl.
- Add chocolate chips and continue to bread by hand until the dough is well combined.
- Scoop dough by tablespoon and roll into rounded balls. Place balls about 2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake about 10 minutes, then remove from oven. Allow the cookies to cool several minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a rack to finish cooling.
