Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. So when I see hype about a great chocolate chip cookie, I am able to look the other way. I know The Chewy gives great results time and time again. Shortly after finding that recipe, I did venture out and try others, thinking that maybe I’d find one that was better than my beloved Chewy. Nothing ever came close and I was always disappointed.
Enter the America’s Test Kitchen Boston Blogger Cookie Challenge. The lovely folks at ATK have challenged bloggers to try their Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. I’m not going to lie, I almost missed the buzz on Twitter about this challenge. It came out when I was on vacation and I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to bake cookies, take photos, and post about something by May 10th. Luckily I was able to make these cookies and get this post written just in time for the deadline.
I’ve been a fan of Cook’s Illustrated for some time now. The enginerd in me loves how they explain why different methods or ingredients are used. I find myself applying those lessons to other recipes that I make so that my journey through cooking and baking is also a major learning process for me.
As you can see, this recipe yields some beautiful, large, bakery-style cookies. I had more than one coworker ask for the recipe and ask what that unidentifiable ingredient in the cookie could possibly be. I explained that it’s not just an ingredient but also the techniques that make these cookies so good. As the recipe states, using more brown sugar creates a chewier cookie. The browned butter in the recipe lends to the almost toffee flavor the cookies have. And last, by making the cookies larger (I used a 3 Tbsp scoop), you get a greater contrast between the crispy edges and the chewy center of the cookie.
I enjoyed that these cookies didn’t require a mixer. Less fussiness is always good in my book. I also enjoyed the whisking and waiting. I did have to write on the recipe how many times I had done it so I could keep track, but I found during the first 3 minute wait, that it tasked me about 3 minutes to unload the dishwasher. Then I learned it takes me about 3 more minutes to put away all my baking ingredients. And during the last 3 minute wait, I was able to load the sink full of dishes into the dishwasher. It worked out great.
I enjoyed these cookies a lot better on the second day, after sitting overnight in an air tight container. I honestly think these cookies gave The Chewy a run for their money. I think I’m going to have to make them both so I can taste them side by side.
One last thing, I forgot to mention the prizes that some lucky bloggers will be winning. One winning blogger will have the opportunity to tour the test kitchen, and three additional bloggers to win a 1-year membership to CooksIllustrated.com – how cool is that?!?
Do you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie or are you still on the hunt?
One Year Ago: Oreo Pretzel Fudge
Two Years Ago: Samoas Bars
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies – from Cook’s Illustrated – makes 16 large cookies
Printable Recipe
Note, I’ve added some pictures in the recipe to show the texture of the cookie dough as it comes together. As recommended in the recipe, I weighed my ingredients where applicable.
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (see note)
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.
Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds.
Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.
Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
These look fantastic and are so festive!
Oh my, these look divine! I recently made something similar, but with no chocolate – just a pumpkin batter with cream cheese topping. But I definitely think I must try these too.
These are absolutely beautiful!
Look wonderful!
These look awesome. I just wish it made a bigger pan!
They’re pretty rich, but I would imagine you could just double it and make it in a 9×13 pan if you wanted!
I made pumpkin spice brownies on Friday and they were delish so I bet these are EVEN BETTER! Thanks for sharing and I’ll be following your tweaks!
~ingrid
i always make a pumpkin cheesecake in the fall with a ginger cookie crumb crust, but i’m liking the chocolate component in your recipe even more.
oh yum – love pumpkin, and the chocolate/pumpkin combo looks wonderful!
These look great! Is there a way I can make them non-dairy? Something I can sub the cream cheese for? Thanks!
Heather – I’ve had great luck subbing Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese in cheesecake recipes in the past. I think that would definitely work and you could use Earth Balance in the brownie portion. Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
Hi Jenn! I just wanted to let you know that you won the giveaway on my blog last week. I emailed you, but never got a response. Could you email me your mailing address to jennharton@paducah.com. I have to pass it along to myblogspark so they can send you your prize package!
Thanks, Jen…I’ll let you know how they come out!
OH wow these do look delicious! I love all that swirled pumpkin…yum!
Those look amazing!
Wow, I love these! My husband would die of happiness of I made these for him – pumpkin cheesecake is his favorite thing for fall.
They look like tiger fur – very cool! What an interesting flavour combination.
We love these at my house! I like your idea of dark chocolate – I will have to try that next time.
beautiful! And they look so delicious!! I agree I don’t normally think of pumpkin with chocolate… but you have me convinced!
The tops of these are a work of art! Love it!
Three of my favorite thi ngs in one dessert! Chocolate and pumpkin and cheesecake! How perfect…
~Nancy
Three of my favorite thi ngs in one dessert! Chocolate and pumpkin and cheesecake! How perfect…
~Nancy
hi.. just dropping by here… have a nice day! http://kantahanan.blogspot.com/
The side-view shot totally won me over. These look delicious!
This looks so yummy.
I now know what to make for the office potluck!
Those look amazing. I love pumpkin with chocolate, I plan on making these soon.
Your brownies look delicious! I am curious since I would like mine to taste more like pumpkin pie than plain pumpkin should i add pumpkin pie spices or follow your recipe for the spices?
Thanks!
fawkes – There are a decent amount of spices in the pumpkin portion of the batter. I would recommend making is as the recipe states, then taste it before you pour it into the pan. Maybe then add some pumpkin pie spice if you’d like.
I made these over the weekend and they were scrumptious!! I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin but this recipe is now a fall staple. I plan on making them for the family on Thanksgiving…thanks for sharing this!
I made these the other day and they were great! a hit at work! yum! thanks!
I stumbled across your blog from a Facebook friend and made these brownies last night. DELICIOUS!! I doubled the recipe and it does just fit in a 9×13 pan and took about 60 mins to bake. It’s worth the wait for them to be chilled in the fridge. The flavors are even more delicious that way.
Oh YUM! And gorgeous, to boot. I never thought pumpkin and chocolate go together either, until I tried it! 🙂 Now I’m hooked. Good idea to double up on the cheesecake layer…you can never have enough pumpkin cheesecake after all!
Thank you so much for participating in our event! These brownies look amazing. They say Halloween to me for sure!
I made these– now I love them! Will be repeated each fall 🙂
Amazing! I loved these so much I played with them a bit and made cranberry cheesecake brownies for my christmas baking.(I didn’t stumble on to these till christmas.) I’ll let you know when I put those up on my blog! With credit to you of course!
Lexi – cranberry cheesecake brownies sound very intriguing. Can’t wait to see them.
Hi Jen! I made these for Heather@BFM’s (comment listed above) birthday and she loved them! Unfortunately I could not find the Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder (I tried 3 stores) so I had to make them with the regular cocoa powder. Can you tell me where you found the Hershey’s Special Dark??
Kasey – I have actually had a hard time finding it as well. I had actually all but given up on it until one day it caught my eye at the grocery store. I proceeded to buy all three containers. I would say just keep an eye out for it and good luck!
1/2 cup of flour seems like very little. Is that correct?
Pup – Yes, that is the correct amount of flour. Most brownie batters have very little flour in them.
Just made these- delicious! I only had the milk chocolate powder, so I’m excited to try it again with the special dark powder.
I doubled the recipe and it perfectly filled a 13×9 pan so you might try it. 🙂 And they are amazing. Also I used margerine not butter and found they were more moist. Happy Baking!
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I made these with my nieces and over all they were pretty good, but something about the pumpkin part tasted off. Still, fun and festive to make!