Chocolate Chip Cookie Week: Donovan's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've named this recipe "Donovan's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies" because they are very chewy and they are my husband's preferred chocolate chip cookie choice. Because they are made with butter, and call for equal parts brown and white sugar, their texture is beyond compare. You get buttery crispness and a gentle crust right on the surface, but then the center and bottom of the cookie is chewy, moist, and addicting.

You can tell from the slightly awful pictures that I've been wanting to blog about this for a long time, and that I always make them at night when the lighting is terrible.

Old and busted

I should explain that I always make this recipe into bars and not individual cookies because they turn out thicker. I used to not like chocolate chip cookie bars as a kid, but these are lovely! I used to use a cookie sheet, but I wouldn't push the dough out to all four corners so that the entire batch of dough fits onto about 3/4 of the cookie sheet, thus ensuring maximum chewing pleasure. I recently had an epiphany- use a 9x13 cake pan! Duh. Such a simple fix,

New hotness

I did debate a few other, equally descriptive titles for this recipe. Here they are in no particular order:

"Friday-Night-Bake-Right-as-the-Kids-are-Going- to-Bed-So-You-and-Your-Husband-Can-Eat-Half- the-Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies"- because this happens frequently.

"The Diet Breakers" - because so many times I've decided to go without sugar, but then I know these bad boys are in the freezer, just waiting for me. And I'm not alone in this!

"Eating Just One is Impossible, Even When They are Frozen Chocolate Chip Cookies" - because I thought I would get smart and freeze the rest of the pan so that the cookies were less accessible. What a serendipitous discovery! Which leads me to the next potential name for these cookies...

"Better When Frozen Chocolate Chip Cookies" - This is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever made which I actually prefer cold, barely thawed. So this makes them the perfect recipe for summer! Especially when you are pregnant all summer long, like I was last year. Here is the secret: I slightly underbake the cookies- 15 minutes only. I let them cool slightly, then put the entire cookie sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes. (Of course before I do this I cut a few pieces to eat piping hot!) Then I take the cookie sheet out of the freezer, slice the dough into bars, and put them in a freezer-friendly container i.e. Tupperware or just a zip-lock bag.

Warm or cold, these cookies are delectable! The perfect accompaniment for a movie night or a game of Settlers!

 

Donovan's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes 1 9x13 pan)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour, plus an additional 1/4 cup to flour your hands when you press the dough into the pan
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and continue creaming until just combined.
2. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just incorporated.
3. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
4. Using a spatula or floured hands, press the dough into an ungreased 9x13 pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 17 minutes. 15 minutes will be underdone and is preferred for the freezing method. 17 minutes is perfect for eating copious amounts while watching Doctor Who...and they still freeze well.

Make the dough. Share the cookies.