Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have made a lot of different chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years, but these are by far my family's favorite!  I have made them so many times that I have the recipe memorized.  Recently, we were in Colorado at my husband's parents' vacation home, and of course we had the need for some homemade cookies.  They looked so pretty on the counter that I thought I'd better get a picture so that I could share the recipe here.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, slightly softened  (see note)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small box instant vanilla pudding (3.4 ounce size)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour (see note)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars, and pudding mix for 2-3 minutes in electric mixer.  Meanwhile, mix flour, baking soda, and salt if using.  Crack eggs into a separate container and add vanilla.  Add to butter mixture and mix until well incorporated.  Gradually add flour mixture--I add about 1/3 at a time.  Finally, mix in the chocolate chips.

Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto parchment-lined (or slightly greased) baking sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 11 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.  Leave cookies on cookie sheet for five minutes or so before removing to rack or parchment paper to cool completely.

Note:  If your butter is very soft, you may need to chill the dough for a while before baking.  For high altitudes, add 1/4 cup flour.  Also, if the cookies spread more than you would like, increase the flour a bit the next time or chill dough a couple of hours before baking.  I like to scoop the dough into balls first and store in a container in the fridge.  When I'm ready for cookies, I simply place the dough on the cookie sheet and bake away!

Hope you enjoy this family favorite!

There are many different flavor variations for this recipe.  Please see this recipe for details!