Can you believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve? I’m blown away with how quickly the month flew by. Now is the time to really slow down and soak up the last Christmas of the decade!
I can’t think of a better way to make memories with the family than baking cookies to leave out for dear old Santa Clause!
This basic recipe is one I’ve tweaked to my own liking over the years. I first started baking them occasionally in high school. Then every Christmas when I came home from college my dad insisted I whip him up a batch. I smile when I think of him taking that first bite and saying “That’s my girl” with a mouth full of chewy chocolate chip cookies. He’d kiss me and eat another. Oh sweet memories!
Before you get to baking
Before you start measuring out the flour and mixing in the sugar, read a few tips below to ensure your cookies are ready for the kiddos and dad!
Don’t melt the butter. Your dough needs to be cool to bake correctly and doesn’t need to be too runny. Soften the butter without liquefying.
Chill the dough for at least ten minutes. This keeps the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
Brown sugar is necessary. Don’t substitute with white sugar! It’s not so much of a flavor thing as it is a science issue. So stick with the brown sugar.
Add a few chocolate chips on top of the spooned out dough. This makes them look “pretty” after baking.
When baking, start with the lowest bake time. If they are not finished after 9 minutes bake a little longer.
Bake on the middle rack. Even baking temps.
Aim for half a tablespoon when spooning out dough. I feel this makes the perfect size cookie.
Store in airtight container. This keeps them fresh longer! Although they probably won’t last on the plate too long. hehe
Additional toppings I occasionally add :
- Pecans
- White chocolate chips
- Caramel pieces
- Reese’s pieces
- peanut butter pieces
- 2/3 cups cocoa powder for double chocolate cookies.
- M&ms
- Macadamia nuts
- Sliced almonds
The recipe….finally!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine the first three ingredients in a smallish bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine the softened butter, sugars, & vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
Mix in the flour mixture until combined well.
Stir in 2/3 of the chips.
Chill 10 minutes.
Spoon out dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Take leftover chocolate chips and press a few onto the tops of each cookie.
Bake for 9-11 minutes.
Cool on tray 2 minutes. Cool on a cookie rack until ready.
Well, I hope you and yours enjoy this cookie recipe as much as my family does! Let me know how they turn out. Merry Christmas!
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