I did not come up with this; it is from Family Circle’s Best Ever Cakes and Cookies. And these cookies are just that–the best ever.
So, in response to the threats of Mr. Chuck Wendig, I give you my favorite cookie recipe.
Right after I babble a bit so the picture of the squid ninja doesn’t mess up the formatting of the recipe.
That’s right; I said squid ninja.
The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature (very important!)
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (crunchy doesn’t mix as well)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs (room temp!)
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chunks or 10 oz bag oversized semisweet chocolate chips (I just use 12 oz regular chips)
1 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (I always leave out.)
- Heat oven to 325.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
- With mixer on medium-high, beat butter, peanut butter and both sugars in a large bowl 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour mixture until blended and a dough forms. Stir in chocolate chunks and pecans.
- Using a 1/4 cup measure (the recipe says this, but when I do it that makes for huge, not-baked-right cookies. I use a soup spoon instead) drop dough in slightly rounded mounds onto large ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in heated 325 oven 15 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown around edges and lightly colored on top. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire racks about 3 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
You may have noticed the recipe contains peanut butter, so warn friends with nut allergies. I don’t recommend leaving it out–the cookies are significantly less awesome.
Do not get fingers or other body parts between these cookies and ravenous carolers.