Chocolate Chip Cookies #1...

I recently received a promotion at work - FULL TIME BAKER! - and that means that I have to up my cookie/cake skillzs.  Lucky Brady and his bandmates are now my official taste-testers for all current and future foodie experiments.  Let the games begin!

While the GRIT definitely has a good cookie recipe it isn't quite the type of chocolate chip cookie that I adore.  I want a crispy chewy cookie.  Soft but with a crunch.  Sweet but not too sweet.  Easy but not 'cut open the package and mix'.  You know, juuuuuust right.  Something I can take to birthdays or to holiday gatherings, or keep on hand for late night nibble attacks...

Well, today I found my perfect recipe and I was thrilled with the results of the 6 (yes, 6!) dozen vegan and non-vegan cookies that I baked up for the guys.

Here's a list of what you'll need for approximately 3 dozen cookies:

1 cup of butter or margarine, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 room temperature eggs or egg substitute equivalent
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt (you can use fine sea salt, regular salt or, my favorite, an herbed salt)
2 1/4 cups chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet, carob or alt vegan)
optional: 1 cup chopped nuts (pecan, walnut, etc)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until very smooth. Beat in the eggs/substitute one at a time.  Stir in the vanilla.  Dissolve baking soda in hot water and blend in batter along with salt.  Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and (optional) nuts until just combined.  Finally, drop by medium spoonfuls onto parchment paper or non-stick pans. 

Bake for about 14 minutes in the preheated oven.

Allow to cool on pan for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

 And that's it.  Yum!  The dark brown sugar gives it that great crispness...

If you give it a whirl or get creative with it then please let me know the results...and I'll be back with more recipes for sure!  I'm thinking next time to use applesauce instead of egg replacer and maybe add some oatmeal to it too.  Ooooh, and maybe a peanut butter chocolate chip batch.  Ooooh, or add pears or apples or pistachios.  The possibilities are endless with a good base recipe, eh?

P.S.  Here's the recipe that I based mine on.  I have to give credit where credit is due!