Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rich loves chocolate chip cookies and he recently discovered Ghiardelli Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. Okay...it is a good mix, however, these chocolate chip cookies are just as good, if not better! And...they are made from scratch!

I should thank my cousin Naomi who sent me a link to an awesome website of recipes. Bakerella makes Cupcake Pops (cupcake lollipops dipped in chocolate) and she also documents her baking. I guess it was her Blog that inspired me to begin my own! I took this recipe from her site and also learned some great tips from her, as well as from my own experience baking these cookies.

I used 1/2 tablespoon to measure the dough for each cookie so that each cookie would be the same size. After I baked a few batches, I learned that if you like a lumpy, thicker cookie, you can scoop each 1/2 tablespoon of dough onto the sheet lined with parchment paper as pictured above.

After the third batch, I realized that to achieve a smooth, thinner cookie, I needed to roll the dough into a ball and flatten it on the cookie sheet prior to baking. Below you can see the smoother finish as the cookies baked in the oven.

I buy my chocolate chips at Costco...the ChipitsMega Pack (a huge bag) for about $8.99...it's way cheaper than buying the small bags at the grocery store. And, to make the cookies even more chocolatey add some chocolate chips to the top of each cookie half way through baking as pictured below. (Thanks Bakerella for the tip!)

Love this shot below of the cookies reflecting in the bowl!

MMMMmmmmm....Delicious, hot, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies!

I am getting better with the angles as I take more pics!

The first three people who post a comment about my newly created blog and mention the packages of chocolate chip cookies pictured below, will have a package delivered to their house tomorrow!!!!

They really are delicious!!!

For all of you who did not win the contest, but want to make your own cookies, here is Bakerella's recipe that I have now adopted!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.
With a mixer, beat butter and both sugars until well blended.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Add flour mixture in two additions until combined.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
Use a mini ice cream scoop or a 1/2 tablespoon to drop cookie dough on a parchment covered cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Tip: About half way through baking, sprinkle reserved chips on top of cookies. This is just to make them prettier so, some of the chips are seen on top.
Makes 2-3 dozen