The Best Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies in the Entire World?

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in the World

When I come across a recipe that claims to be THE BEST of its kind, I naturally tend to be skeptical.  After all, anyone can post a recipe online and believe it truly to be the most outstanding thing they have ever tasted.  But how do I know where their subjective tastes stand in relation to mine?  In my never-ending search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe, I stumbled across a site called "Parents Need to Eat Too" by Debbie Koenig.  She claimed to have THE BEST HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN THE WORLD!  I am glad I set out to validate her lofty claim because she made me a believer. 

These cookies are crisp on the edges with just the right amount of chewiness. When eaten warm, the chocolate melts in my mouth and for a brief moment my inner child grins from ear to ear.  I made a couple of tweaks to the recipe to incorporate my preferences such as using dark brown sugar instead of light and replacing some of the all-purpose flour with bread flour.  Use what you have available, either way, you will not be disappointed.  I cannot say with absolute certainty that these cookies are the best in the whole entire world, but they certainly are without a doubt the best I have ever made.

Using my brand new OXO scale to weigh chocolate.

Scoops of Cookie Dough

Crisp, chewy and irresistable.

The Best Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever
Adapted from "Parents Need to Eat Too" by Debbie Koenig
Makes about 2 dozen

Tips for success:
1. Cream the butter and sugars on low speed.
2. When possible refrigerate the dough for 24-36 hours.  If you don't have the time, it will still be yummy.
3. Use good quality chocolate.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup bread flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
5 to 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks (I use both Callebaut and Ghirardelli together to achieve a more complex flavor)

1. Sift together the flours, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars on low speed until it is smooth and lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
3. Add the vanilla and egg and beat on low speed for 15 seconds, or until fully incorporated. Do not overbeat. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until they are just incorporated. If using a hand mixer, use a wooden spoon to stir them in. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour, and preferably 24-36 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Adjust racks to lower and upper thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Spoon the dough, using a large cookie scooper or a tablespoon, 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown around the edges but still soft, almost underdone-looking, in the center. To ensure even baking, turn the sheets front to back and switch racks halfway through.
7. Remove the sheets from the oven and carefully slide the parchment or silicone mats directly onto a work surface. When cookies are set, remove them to a cooling rack. Wait at least 5 minutes before serving or 20 minutes before storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.