Do You Make the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies?

My children used to ask me how I make such perfect chocolate chip cookies. Do I think my perfect chocolate chip cookies are perfect? No, not necessarily, but my children do and my grandchildren, do as well. That is all that really matters to me. However, I will say that many people always tell how much they enjoy my cookies and often ask the same question: "How do you make such perfect chocolate chip cookies?".

They are nearly all perfectly round. They are all nearly perfectly browned, but not over-done, and they are light and fluffy, not flattened and/or crunchy.

I really don't have a huge secret or special recipe that makes the cookies seem so perfect, however, I do have a few things that I'm consistent with when doing my baking, especially for chocolate chip cookies.
First of all, I truly believe that elevation and humidity can play a huge role in how any baking may turn out. It can affect how high your oven temperature should be and potentially how long you may need to bake your goodies. Most importantly for me, I am particular with my ingredients.

I have found that all granulated sugars are not the same. Some can have a larger grain to them, while some can be more fine. Some sugars seems to have more moisture in them than others. Because of these differences, I have found that my cookies can be different when I use different brands.

There can be differences in flour as well, as some are self-rising, some are made for lower elevations, and some have some slightly different consistencies.

Since I can't control the humidity, I try to be consistent with the brand. When I make what seems to my kids as the perfect chocolate chip cookies, I use Domino sugar, and Robin Hood flour.

After mixing the ingredients and preparing the dough for baking, I take the careful time to roll each cookie dough into one inch (1") or slightly smaller size dough balls.

Typically when you bake cookies, especially those calling for baking soda as one of the ingredients (much like the recipe I use does), the cookies will puff up through the baking process. When they are in the last minutes of baking they will tend to flatten out. Therefore, I remove them from the oven in advance of the "flattening" process, just before the cookies is completely baked.

One last little tip that I have for making these seemingly perfect chocolate chip cookies, is that although the recipe calls for the use of butter, I choose to use shortening instead. I'm also particular about the type of shortening. Do I think there is a different in shortening? Not really, I guess I'm just a particular in this department. Butter can often make the cookies tastes more rich, and creamy, but shortening will make them more light and fluffy.

Below is the recipe that I use:

¾ Cups of Domino Granulated Sugar
¾ Cups of Domino Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream these items together and then add:

2 ¼ Cups of Robin Hood Flour

After it is blended well, fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand.

Roll the dough in 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned, but not yet flattened. Remove from the oven, let sit on the tray for about 30 seconds before removing to a paper towel to cool. Store in a container that will seal tight, so that the moisture stays with the cookie and doesn't dry out.

Tip: Do not leave on the cookie tray, too long because the cookies will continue to bake on the heated cookie tray.

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