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!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

French Vanilla Coffee Mix

Image
Okay, if you follow my posts regularly, you have probably keyed into the fact that I like to make mixes.  I made some of these French Vanilla Coffee mixes up for Christmas gifts this year.  It's something that people don't have to use right away, and also goes well with all the goodies that are coming in at that time of the year.  Go here for this recipe plus eight other yummy coffee mix recipes. PS--If you're going to make some mixes in a jar or a bag, I recommend getting an open-mouthed funnel.  I got mine in a specialty kitchen store.  It's great for getting the mix in place without ending up with it all over your countertop!
Read more

World's Best Hot Cocoa MIx

Image
Growing up, I never had anything but the Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa packets.  I always wanted to get the ones with the mini marshmallows in it even though by the time I got my cocoa mixed up they had almost melted away.  So, when I tasted my mother-in-law's deliciously-creamy cocoa, I had to have the recipe for the mix! My kids often request this after they come in from playing outdoors.  Put it in a cute container or bag, and it makes a great Christmas gift!  I packaged mine up with some homemade peppermint marshmallows this year! I have recently updated this recipe with homemade versions of the powdered Nesquik and creamer.  My kids and I like it even better than the original--it's cheaper, too! World's Best Hot Cocoa Mix (adapted from Gloria Woodmancy's recipe in Sharon Springs United Methodist Cookbook) 1 (2.54 pound) canister Nesquik chocolate powder  (Use this recipe for homemade.  I think it took about a quadruple batch to equal 2 1/2 po...
Read more

Horse Cupcake Cake

Image
My daughter Maddie just turned 10, and she really likes horses.  So, when I saw a picture of a cake like this on Pinterest, I knew that I wanted to make one for her birthday party.  I couldn't find any tutorials online for how much frosting to make, etc., so I thought I would post how I did it. It was a pretty easy cake.  Maddie and I baked the cupcakes and had it frosted in an afternoon! You will need: 26 cupcakes (see my recipe below or use your favorite!) 2 recipes  this chocolate frosting 1 recipe this buttercream frosting (you will have extra left over) Cake board (I use a piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil) Wilton 1 M cupcake frosting tip Frosting bags (Use disposable--you will thank me later at clean up time!) Wilton size 3 tip or larger What to do: 1.  Bake your cupcakes.  I used this recipe from pinterest for modifying a white cake mix.  I used a Funfetti cake mix. To a white cake mix add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sug...
Read more