Supern Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies: Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s a no-fuss, practical approach to making classic chocolate chip cookies, yielding a chewy, flavourful cookie with just the right balance of sweetness and texture.
Ingredients
• 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (170g / 12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
• ¾ cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chunks)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter (do not melt it!) with both the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. This step is crucial for a chewy texture, as creaming the butter with sugar incorporates air, helping the cookies rise while also adding tenderness.
3. Add the Wet Ingredients: Add the whole egg, the additional egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well combined. The extra yolk helps make the cookies richer and chewier.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed (or by hand) until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix; stop as soon as you see no more streaks of flour to keep the cookies tender.
5. Fold in Chocolate Chips: Add the chocolate chips or chunks and gently fold them into the dough with a spatula until evenly distributed.
6. Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Chilling helps the flavors develop and prevents spreading while baking, resulting in a thicker cookie with a more intense flavor.
7. Preheat the Oven and Shape the Dough: When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop 1.5-tablespoon portions of dough (or about the size of a golf ball) and place them on the baking sheet, leaving a few inches of space between each.
8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will look slightly underdone—this is normal, as they will set as they cool on the baking sheet.
9. Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Final Tips
• For a Softer Cookie: Replace 2 tablespoons of the all-purpose flour with cake flour.
• For a Thicker Cookie: Extend the chilling time. Overnight is best if you want extra-thick cookies.
• Make It Your Own: Swap the semi-sweet chocolate with dark, milk, or even white chocolate, or mix in chopped nuts.
By following these simple steps, you’ll have bakery-quality chocolate chip cookies every time!
GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVE
Here’s a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie variation that tastes just as delicious as the classic version. This blend of gluten-free flours ensures you get a chewy, soft cookie with great texture.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
For the GF flour blend:
• 1 cup (130g) rice flour
• ½ cup (60g) sorghum flour
• ¼ cup (30g) potato starch
• ¼ cup (30g) tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder (or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed)
The remaining ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (170g / 12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
• ¾ cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chunks)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Gluten-Free Flour Mix: In a bowl, whisk together the rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and psyllium husk powder (or ground flaxseed).
2. Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Add baking soda, cornstarch, and salt to the flour blend, whisking thoroughly to distribute all the dry ingredients evenly.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and well-blended.
4. Add the Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, extra yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
6. Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.
7. Chill the Dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour to enhance flavor and improve the dough’s ability to hold shape.
8. Preheat the Oven and Shape the Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scoop 1.5-tablespoon portions of dough and place on the baking sheet, leaving space between each.
9. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden. The centers should still look soft.
10. Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet completely, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Why Use Psyllium Husk or Flaxseed?
• Psyllium Husk: Acts as a binder, adding elasticity and chewiness.
• Ground Flaxseed: Also adds binding properties and a subtle nutty flavor, plus extra fiber.
These additions make the gluten-free cookies more structured and chewy—closer to the texture of a traditional cookie.
