It’s been far too long since I’ve made homemade cookies. I was feeling like a bad mom, and feeling like a bad wife, sending my husband off to work without homemade goodies to grace his lunchbox. The fact is though, if there are cookies around- guess who eats them? That’s right- most of them end up in my gullet. And with my recent vegetable madness, I’ve been feeling a little virtuous, and like not making anything that would tempt me. But then the other day, Anna from Cookie Madness tempted me with a chocolate chip cookie recipe, Lee Napoli’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies. I copied it and saved it, thinking I’d make them “some time” but then I just kept thinking about those cookies! After a few days had gone by, I realized I had an obsession on my hands, and, well, the cookies were made.
And oh, are they good! The recipe is written by a pastry chef in Boston- but I love that it doesn’t call for any out-of-the-ordinary ingredients. No fancy chocolate, no fancy salts or sugar, just a combination of light brown, dark brown, and white sugar. That in itself was different, as was the extra egg yolks called for- but one taste of the cookie dough and I knew I was onto something. The cookies called for a full tablespoon of vanilla as well, and I really think that added a lot to the cookies. The directions stated to bake for 7 to 8 minutes for a more chewy cookie…I found that 11 minutes was perfect for my tastes, 7 or 8 just left them a little to raw for my tastes. In the interest of full disclosure, I also used less chocolate chips than called for. Instead of 3 cups, I used 2, because 2 cups looked like an awful lot, and it sure was plenty for us. Nuts would be a great addition I think, but really, they were spectacular as is. While the recipe indicated it makes about 3 dozen I got more like 6 dozen, and then promptly shared some with our neighbors. Really, these are an excellent cookie and worth the trouble of making sure you have both light and dark brown sugar. They’re sweet and chocolaty, and I have definite plans for this batter. I think the dough itself is the perfect foil for other chips and mix-ins and right at the top of the list is going to be some macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips, which Abigail requested. Otherwise, try these cookies- you won’t be disappointed.
Lee Napoli’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 lb. butter — (2 sticks)
1c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
3/4 c. white granulated sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
3 1/4 c. flour
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
1T. vanilla
3 c. chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Pour into a large bowl. When the butter cools to slightly warm, add the light brown sugar, dark brown sugar and white sugar. Mix well. Beat in the eggs and yolks. Add the flour, salt and baking soda, and combine well. Stir in the vanilla and chopped chocolate or chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets and bake until nicely browned, about 7 or 8 minutes. It’s always best to slightly underbake cookies so when they cool they remain chewy.
Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
Hi E!
I am so glad you tried them. And I think I like them for the same reasons you do. There are lots of good chocolate chip cookies around, but these are very good AND don’t call for any crazy flours or “tricks”. LOL. I love your photo.
Hey Anna, thanks for sharing them! They seem to hold up really well stored in a container as well, so that’s an added bonus. I’ll definitely be making these again.
I copied that recipe also–glad to hear you liked it. I was intrigued by that extra yolk… They look scrumptious!
They’re good Laura- and my kids LOVED them! Abigail wants the ones with white chocolate chips, but really, this is a great crowd-pleasing cookie.