Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everybody loves chocolate chip cookies. They are basic, homey, and make you feel like a kid again. They bring back memories of mom's or grandma's spoiling us with a chewy, buttery afternoon snack, with just the right amount of chocolate sprinkled in. They are amazing with milk, ice cream, or even lemonade. They make you smile when you open your lunchbox and see someone snuck one in when you weren't looking. As iconic as they are, surprisingly there are many people who are not satisfied with their own recipe.
To be quite honest, I have not really been satisfied with mine. They aren't disgusting, or anything, they just aren't that chewy. They are sort of crisp, which I have always blamed on the butter, but I absolutely refuse to make cookies with shortening. I figured there must be some other way. Cookies kind of intimidate me. I never feel like I am bringing my A-game when I make up a batch. Mine usually end up looking like a tuile, maybe worse. A paper-thin, crunchy mess that tastes good, but has the visual appeal of  shoo-fly-pie.
I have secretly borne this shame until now.
It wasn't until a friend of mine sent her feeble cry to the endless abyss of Facebook, asking if anyone had a chewy cookie recipe, that I decided it was time to figure this one out. I sat, staring in deliberation. As the foodie, I should be the first one supplying a recipe. My 'no-fail' chewy, chocolate chip cookie that I turn to in need. Instead I sat and watched as countless friends commented, stating that they, too, were looking for that perfect recipe.

I honestly don't believe there are perfect recipes, and variables always change things, but these cookies are pretty close. My husband said they were the best he has ever had (shocker...) and he gave them a 9.5. Why? Because he wants to leave room for improvement.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from Food Network)

Ingredients 2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar (dark brown is okay)
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together into a large bowl.

Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes (use the paddle attachment for a stand mixer). Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, about 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Oreo Chocolate-Chip Cookie Brownie

I wrote about half of a blog post yesterday. I am not sure how much longer I can do this eating healthy thing.... my husband and I were going for six weeks but I really miss baking, cooking, making chocolate chip pancakes and trying new desserts. I keep trying to tell myself I am gearing up for fall, and this is the perfect time to eat light anyway. Don't get me wrong, I like eating healthy, but I just don't like being this restricted. I usually eat fairly healthy, with a sprinkling of rich desserts and pastries. On that note, here is a recipe from my mom...she loves to taunt me with these recipes.

Oreo Chocolate-Chip Cookie Brownie

Another day….another dessert! I have a real hard time passing up an idea for a new yummy dessert! I was online the other day…minding my own business…not even LOOKING for any recipes. I was actually looking for ideas for my first granddaughters baby shower! Then up scrolls this pic… A 9x13” dish with the ingredients in the pan and these words below: “cookie dough then an Oreo then brownie mix on top.” There were no other instructions, like temperature and time in oven. No exact amounts! (I’m kind-of weird about that…I get real nervous when I have to ‘wing-it’) But I guess they figured if I’m serious enough..I’ll find a way!...and I did!

I bought a roll of pre-made cookie dough, a package of Oreos and a bagged brownie mix. The mixes both required a 350* oven…

1 package Oreos

1 prepared package brownie mix for an 8x8 pan

1 roll chocolate chip cookie dough

I decided to do individual desserts instead of a 9x13 pan because I was concerned the Oreos wouldn’t cut up very neatly when time to serve. So I used a muffin/cupcake pan and lined each with a paper baking cup.

I read on the cookie dough package that it was supposed to make 16 cookies, so I peeled off the entire plastic covering, leaving the cookie dough in a tube shape, cut the dough tube into four equal sections. Each section was then cut into four equal parts. I rolled them up just for ease of placing them in the paper cups and gently pushed them down to form the bottom ‘crust’. Each ball was approximately 1/8 cup, if you decide to make homemade cookie dough.

Next just place an Oreo into each cup, pressing it into place. Cover with 1/8 cup prepared brownie mix. (You may want to use slightly less if you don’t want them oozing over the top.)

Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The edges will be firm, but the centers may still seem slightly gooey looking. Cool and eat. ENJOY!