The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

I'm a competitive person.

I'm especially competitive about things that are probably not that important to most other people.

Like baking the world's best chocolate chip cookie.

It all started when I entered a cookie contest at my local Walmart, way, way back when I was a stay-at-home mom, maybe thirty years ago, and I won second prize for my chocolate chip cookie recipe. Note: That's second prize, folks, and this was at my local Walmart...and just exactly how many people actually entered the contest anyway? Mmm...

As a school librarian, I encouraged my students to read ten chapter books every year. The prize? An invitation to The Chapter Book Club Picnic where everyone got a sample of my Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever. 

Of course I had to bake a lot of cookies for those kids...

The Chapter Book Club Picnic

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever (my own)

Over the years, I've tried many, many recipes of other people to see how their recipes compare with mine...

I tried the recipe from Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley in June of 2013. For many years, I replaced my personal Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever recipe with Lucy's. Lucy's secret? A pinch of salt on top of each cookie just before baking. I did a post about making this recipe here: In Which I Relish Relish and In Which I Reveal the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

Evaluation? Soft, buttery mid-size cookies with lots of chocolate chips and a hint of salt.

How to Bake for Beginners set me to making these cookies which I liked a lot. 

Evaluation? The author says it best: "Everyone has their own version of the best chocolate chip cookies! Mine is on the puffy side---chewy in the center and firm on the edges. These are not too dense, are studded with chocolate, and have a strong buttery flavor."

I became keen on Vallery Lomas' Life is What You Bake It as soon as I tried Lomas' recipe. Her recipe uses olive-oil and chunks of chocolate.

Evaluation? Chunky from the larger chunks of chocolate and a long-lasting moistness from the olive oil. 

How could I resist trying Paul Hollywood's recipe for chocolate chip cookies from his cookbook, Paul Hollywood BAKE: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics? 

Evaluation? Uniform size and a brownie-like cookie.

My latest cookie recipe trial came from The Encyclopedia of Cookies, a book filled with hundreds of cookie recipes. 

Evaluation? A big, chewy cookie that retains its moisture for many days.

I'm sure I will continue my quest for The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World to my last day. 

Maybe you have secrets? Hints? Tips? I welcome them all.

For more photos, link up at Wordless Wednesday, Comedy Plus, Messymimi's Meanderings, Keith's Ramblings, Create With Joy, Amanda's Books and More, and My Corner of the World.

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