A Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking Frenzy

We got together last week with an old friend who is a baker, too. Our conversation about our recent baking adventures rapidly turned ferociously competitive. Ali and I both want to make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie before we die, and we will do anything to win this title.

I reminded Ali of the time I came closest to bringing home that trophy. In 1990, I won second place in a cookie baking contest at my town's Wal-mart. 

Since then, I've made hundreds of versions of chocolate chip cookies. Before we left Ali's house, I vowed to myself to renew my attempts to win the chocolate chip cookie championship.

Two cookie cookbooks and several batches of chocolate chip cookies later, I feel I have inched toward that goal. 

I used Dorie's Cookies by Dorie Greenspan and Cookie Club: 80 Creative Cookies to Make, Swap, and Share by Mallory Oniki as my inspiration, my reference books.

First I tried a recipe from Oniki's chocolate chip cookie (CCC) section of the book.

Crunchy Edge, Soft Middle CCC

(Makes 8 Large Cookies)

1/2 cup (113 g) salted butter, melted

1/2 cup (108 g) brown sugar

1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups (162 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cups milk and/or dark chocolate chunks, plus extra for topping

Flaky salt, for topping

1. Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Use a whisk or rubber spatula to mix until well combined, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, about 1 minute.

3. Add the flour, kosher salt, and baking soda. Use a rubber spatula to mix until the flour is just incorporated, about 1 minute.

4. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until evenly distributed through the dough.

5. Use a large (4 tablespoon/2 ounce) cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls. Top each dough ball with one or two chunks of chocolate, gently pressing the chunks into the dough. Place all the dough balls onto a small baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Cover and transfer to the fridge to chill overnight (or at least 12 hours).

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place four dough balls onto each baking sheet, spaced equally apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.

7. Top each cookie with a pinch of flaky salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

My modifications: I made twenty small cookies instead of eight large ones. I cut the baking time to ten minutes. 

My assessment: Soft. Chocolate-y. A nice salty zing to face off with the sweetness of the cookie.

Here's one more that I tried from the Cookie Club cookbook.

Spicy CCC

(Makes 12 Large Cookies)

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup salted butter, softened

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus extra for topping 

1 1/2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chunks, plus extra for topping

Flaky salt, for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Place the brown sugar, butter, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to mix until combined, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix until fluffy and lighter in color, about 1 minute.

4. Add the flours, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on how spicy you'd like the cookies to be. Mix on low just until the flour is combined, about 30 seconds.

5. Add the chocolate chunks to the bowl. Mix until the chocolate chunks are even distributed through the dough.

6. Use a large (4-tbsp/2 oz) cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls. Place up to six dough balls onto each baking sheet, spaced equally apart. Top each dough ball with one or two chunks of chocolate, gently pressing the chunks into the dough.

7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges start to brown. Top each cookie with a pinch of flaky salt and a dash of extra cayenne pepper, if desired. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

My modifications: I had no whole wheat flour so I used all-purpose flour only. I did not have dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate, so I used milk chocolate chips.

My assessment: A soft, flat cookie. Sweet and salty, with a kick from the cayenne.

I'm ready for you, Ali!

Other attempts to make the world's best chocolate chip cookies:

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

How to Bake for Beginners: Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Chapter Book Club Picnic

Life is What You Bake It

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