Big, Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 1 dozen 5-inch cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) block dark chocolate, coarsely chopped


1. Sift
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.



2. Cream
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in vanilla and eggs.



3. Mix
Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth dough forms.


4. Fold
Chop pieces of chocolate into chunks. With a rubber spatula, fold chocolate chunks into dough.


5. Form
To form cookies, scoop about 1/4 cup of cookie dough. With greased hands, roll dough into a ball. Place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Press down the tops of dough slightly.


6. Bake
Bake until cookies are light brown, about 12 minutes for chewy cookies (or 15 minutes for crispy cookies).


7. Cool (Optional)
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.