Chocolate Chip Cookies

My first introduction to cookies were the Indian ones called nankhatai and love those cookies. Here in US I tasted chocolate chip, oatmeal raisins, sugar cookies and I like those too. But I have to admit that chocolate chip cookies are my favorite due to the addition of those yummy chocolates speckles in them. I am not a fan of decorated sugar cookies, it feels too sugary. In short give me any cookie that is not decorated, and nankhatais and chocolate chip cookies any day.

I baked these cookies with an intention that my 3 year old will have it too, since she loves chocolate too but she hardly ate one cookie and I ended up finishing most of it. So sometimes it gets dangerous for me to bake such sinful delights. But what is life if you do not err occasionally, plus if that error was totally worth it, go for it. So let me entice you to have some of these cookies by sharing this recipe. It is the popular nestle toll house recipe, not my own, but if you have never come across it then here it goes.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz pkg) semi sweet chocolate chip morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degree F
• Mix all purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar by beating well.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well till they are well incorporated.
• Gradually add the dry flour mixture and beat well.
• Add chocolate morsels and nuts, if using, at this point and mix well with a spatula. 
• Drop by rounded tablespoon on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
• Remove and let it cool for a minute or two and enjoy your cookies.

Tip:

• I feel that if you bake the cookies immediately after making the cookie dough using this recipe your cookie will spread too much so I follow the method of dividing the dough in half, wrapping in wax paper and refrigerating it for at least one hour. Then shape it into a log and wrap it in wax paper and put it back in fridge for half an hour. Then cut it in half inch slices and bake in the preheated oven. You will get perfectly shaped cookies using this method.
• If you do not have time,  then substitute 1/2 cup of butter with shortening and bake. This way too the cookies won't spread as much as all butter cookies.
• Reserve some chocolate chips to add on top of the cookies arranged on baking sheet, before baking. When you mix the chocolate chips in the dough they get coated with dough and will not show after they are baked but you can still taste them inside. By adding some chocolate on top before baking you will get picture perfect chocolate chip cookies.