Make America’s Favorite Cookies at Home
Cookies - some are round, some are square, some are chewy, and some are crunchy, but no matter what they look like, cookies consistently top the list of America's favorite baked goods. For many of us, cookies are the very first thing that we learned to make in the kitchen; because they don't require the use of sharp objects or direct heat, they're safe for young, beginner cooks. Not only are cookies relatively simple to make, but baking a batch can teach us important basic foundations and principles about cooking and baking in general.
Related: America's 10 Best Cookies
Cookies taught us to be consistent. The final step of making cookies is placing them on a sheet pan and whether you're making chocolate chip cookies or gingerbread men, the goal is to be consistent so that they bake evenly. Lastly, cookies taught us to be appreciative of cooking. Can anyone object to the fact that there's often nothing better than a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie, warm and soft and dripping with melted chocolate chips? Cookies demonstrate to us that sometimes, some things are just better when they're homemade, and this is a sentiment that the Cook editors carry with us every day as we develop new recipes and cooking techniques to share with our readers.
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
There is almost nothing better than the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. The rich, comforting aroma brings back cozy childhood memories of gooey cookies and big glasses of milk. This version of the classic delivers on smell, taste, and texture - and just the right amount of chocolate chips. I like to use a mixture of milk chocolate and semisweet chips for the perfect balance, but any combination of flavors will work here. Eat them fresh out of the oven with a big glass of milk for a real throwback treat.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
8 ounces milk chocolate chips
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour and mix together with the baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugars and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Add the vanilla and stir. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture gradually and stir until all ingredients meld together. Add the chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, place a scoop of the dough (about 1 tablespoon) approximately every 2 inches. Bake until the edges are just golden brown (about 7-9 minutes). Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack.
Serve warm.
Recipe Details
Servings: 24
Peanut Butter Cookies
Easy to make, these peanut butter cookies wouldn't be complete without their crosshatch pattern. Chef Evan Packer suggests using a higher-end peanut butter so that your cookies do not come out too sweet.
Click here to see the Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Thumbprints
Often a classic around the holidays, thumbprint cookies are widely popular because of the variety of fillings to choose from to fill that shallow hole. Whether filled with a favorite jam, peanut butter, or a Hershey's kiss, thumbprint cookies remain a class cookie to many.
Click here to see the Thumbprints Recipe
Sugar Cookies
Nancy Olson, the Pastry Chef at Gramercy Tavern in New York City uses these sugar cookies to make edible ornaments, decorated with colorful royal icing, for the Tavern's holiday tree.
Click here to see the Sugar Cookies Recipe
White Chocolate-Macadamia Drop Cookies
This recipe updates the standard white chocolate macadamia cookies that have been all the rage. These cookies are fairly large, chewy, and nutty-crisp. The recipe first calls for browning the butter in a saucepan and then toasting the nuts in the bubbling-hot fat for an extra-rich effect.
Click here to see the Chocolate Macadamia Drop Cookies
-Anne Dolce, The Daily Meal
Click Here to see more Easy Recipes for America's Favorite Cookies
