Extraordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm a cookie lover. While I can't admit to loving every cookie, I do have many favorites. Brett has one favorite cookie - chocolate chip. Not just any chocolate chip cookie, but a good chocolate chip cookie.

I frequently made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies when I was in college which I absolutely loved. However, Brett prefers his cookies without oatmeal, and my old college standby recipe just didn't seem to turn out as perfectly when I made them here at sea level. I would try making chocolate chip cookies from time to time, but we weren't always pleased with the results. So I gave up trying. Why waste my time making mediocre chocolate chip cookies, when I could make fabulous (in my opinion) ginger snaps or pecan puffets or fun and adorable sugar cookies?

Brett started feeling neglected in his desire for good homemade chocolate chip cookies, so I decided to try again this fall. I used the recipe on the back of my Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour which was self-proclaimed "extraordinary." We were pleased with the results. When I made them last month they turned out well again. The recipe doesn't appear to be much different than other recipes I have found. So, either it is just different enough to turn out a good cookie or I have matured in my baking in the last ten years (or both). Either way, I will be going back to this recipe when Brett has a hankering for good chocolate chip cookies.

Both times I made a half recipe with good results.

Extraordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened [I used real butter both times.]
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag (24 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups) [I use milk chocolate chips.]

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs on medium speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips.
On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoons 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. [Don't flatten if using real butter. They will be too thin.]
Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
About 6 dozen cookies
High Altitude 3500 to 6500 ft): Bake 10-12 minutes.
For Nut Lovers: Stir in 2 cups coarsely chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.