For me, every day is Chocolate Chip Cookie Day: I may be more addicted to them than anyone on the planet. It’s fitting that I come from Massachusetts, where chocolate chip cookies were invented by a brilliant baker and businesswoman.
Massachusetts eventually made chocolate chip cookies its official state cookie, but I think they’re bigger than any state: They are the All-American cookie. When you think of baking cookies, I bet you picture chocolate chip cookies.
In fact, I bet you’d like one right now.
Well, today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Don’t let the occasion pass unrecognized: Try my recipe below!
A little history: When I was growing up, my family had two chocolate chip cookie recipes: The recipe on the Toll House bag and my grandmother’s recipe, which calls for more brown sugar and uses shortening instead of butter. Both were good — and some even made it as far as the oven.
Then in the 1990s, chocolate chip recipes became competitive, even political. (For a bit of history, see here.) This is when I worked out my own recipe, which is what I eventually baked at Lola’s and share below.
I love my recipe and it works perfectly every time. Still, I must respect people who say: “These are good, but no one makes them better than my mother/grandmother!” Cookies are intensely personal, and I admire family loyalty.
My sister Michelle, for example, still makes my grandmother’s recipe — even though my mother says she prefers mine. (You may think I’m stirring up trouble, but my sister Michelle is the best sport in the world and finds all of this funny. Michelle is great.)
Happy Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!
[ As with all my cookie recipes, please read these baking tips before you start. ]
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up into bits
- 4 oz granulated sugar (= ½ cup plus 4 tsp)
- 6 oz light brown sugar (=3/4 cup plus 1½ Tablespoons)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 10 oz all-purpose flour (~2¼ cups)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 oz whole oats, ground up in a cuisinart (~1 cup)
- 13 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (~2 cups)
- Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer set on low and start it running for a minute or two.
- Once the butter is broken down a bit, turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat it for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy then stop the mixer and turn the speed back down.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined, then turn it up and beat it for about 30 seconds. Stop and turn mixer back to low speed.
- Flour, baking soda, salt and oats need to be stirred together in a separate bowl, then you put them in the mixer and stir on low speed until almost combined. Now add the chocolate chips and stir it until it's all evenly combined.
- I use a #24 size ice-cream scoop to portion this dough on trays. That's about ¼ cup. If you bake yours this size, they'll take about 16 minutes to bake at 350 degrees.
From 2002 to 2013, Lola's was an award-winning, all-scratch cookie and cupcake business. Now I'm sharing my recipes with our wonderful customers and fans.