Best Chocolate Chip Cookies - Le Cordon Bleu Recipe
The perfect blend of texture and taste with our Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. Crafted with a unique mix of pastry flour for lightness and an ideal combination of white and brown sugars for depth of flavor.
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
Making Pastry Flour
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Cornstarch
Mix Together
- 2 ¼ cups Pastry Flour Yes, you can use AP-Flour, yet the cookie texture will be denser
- 1 ½ sticks Butter
- 3 Eggs / 2 whole eggs + extra yolk
- ¾ cup Fine White Sugar
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 T Vanilla Extract / yes 1 tablespoon
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 ¼ cups Chocolate Chips / mix of semi-bitter & milk chocolate
- ½ cup Walnuts / optional
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg / optional
Instructions
Making The Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Creaming: Begin by creaming 1 ½ sticks of butter with ¾ cup each of fine white sugar and brown sugar. Using a KitchenAid mixer with the paddle attachment works best.Creaming the butter and sugar together takes longer than just mixing them together. You need to do this for at least 3 minutes. Some say long enough for the mixing bowl to get warm (not necessary), the sugar hydrates and softens in texture. The mix will lighten in color.Then add in the vanilla, not before. 1 tablespoon
- Preparing Pastry Flour: For the first method, mix 2 cups of cake flour with 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Alternatively, for the second method, take 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Combining Dry Ingredients: Add 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and baking soda to the pastry flour, ensuring to sift these dry ingredients together.Mixing Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually mix in the sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture in thirds. After adding two-thirds of the pastry flour, fold in 1 ¼ cups of chocolate chips (a mix of semi-bitter and milk chocolate).
- Chef Tip: To ensure your cookies turn out great, Do NOT over mix once the pastry flour has been added. Just like when making biscuits. The longer you work the cookie dough the tougher the cookies become. #glutendevelopment
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days for enhanced flavor and texture.Longer is better if you enjoy a taller, thicker cookie. Cookie dough that isn't cold will flatten out quickly once in the oven.This gluten in the dough has a chance to relax. This will offer a more tender cookie.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop out dough using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, forming tall, cylindrical shapes. Place them on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.Larger cookie scoops will result in larger cookies, which could spread into one another. For the biggest cookies, it is best to chill for a long time before shaping.
- Baking Instructions: Cook on a cookie sheet without any parchment paper. The parchment paper steals the texture of the bottom of the cookie, which is the best part. It's called a cookie sheet for a reason.Bake Cookies @ 350 for 14 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. Check the cookies after 11 minutes of baking to make sure everything is going perfectly.
Notes
Chef Tips
- Perfect Measurement: For the best results, use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. Precision in baking can make all the difference!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature before starting. This helps the ingredients blend more seamlessly, creating a smoother dough.
- Chilling is Key: Don't rush the chilling process. Chilling the dough solidifies the fat in the cookies, which reduces spreading and enhances flavor.
- Don't Overmix: Mix your dough just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
- Baking Sheets Matter: Use light-colored baking sheets if possible, as they reflect heat, preventing the bottoms of the cookies from getting too brown.
- Oven Hot Spots: Rotate your baking sheet halfway through baking to ensure even cooking, as most ovens have hot spots.
- Underbake Slightly: Remove the cookies from the oven when they are just barely set and still a bit underdone in the center. They will continue to cook on the baking sheet, resulting in a soft and chewy texture.
- Cooling: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This helps them set without falling apart.
- Experiment with Flavors: Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of chocolate, such as dark, milk, or white chocolate, or even a mix. Each brings its unique flavor profile to your cookies.
- Storage for Freshness: Store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The bread helps maintain moisture, keeping your cookies soft and fresh.