One of my first jobs was in real estate, and one of the agents used a simple trick for every open house: baking a roll of chocolate chip cookie dough about an hour before the event. When asked why, she responded, "Because it smells like home. It works every time!" Smells like freshly baked cookies create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere - it truly smells like "home!"
Over time, I've perfected my version of the classic chocolate chip cookie - and yes, the modifications are worth it! Use the highest quality ingredients, and I encourage using a food scale to measure ingredients for correct ratios (and less dirty dishes)!
Active Time: ~20 minutes
Chilling Time: 2-24 hours
Baking Time: 9-11 minutes per pan
Yield: ~3 dozen
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5g) Himalayan pink salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted grass-fed butter
1 1/2 cup (300g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (340g) dark chocolate morsels or chips
Additional Himalayan Pink Salt
Instructions:
1. Brown the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. The butter will crackle then foam; immediately remove from heat when it begins to turn brown and give off a nutty aroma. Transfer immediately to a large bowl to prevent burning. Let the butter cool to touch (~10-15 minutes).
2. While the butter is cooling, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) in a separate bowl. Set aside.
3. Once the butter has cooled, mix in the brown sugar until well combined (~1 minute with electric mixer). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in vanilla.
4. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Roll the cookies into 1 tbsp balls. Chill the dough for a minimum of 2 hours, and overnight if possible. Do not skip this step!
6. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350F. Place cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet; bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. They should look slightly underdone in the middle. Cool for 5 minutes to set up, then sprinkle with Himalayan pink salt and remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!