My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dan: 
Serves: 35 cookies
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened- 2 sticks
  • 1½ cups light brown sugar- 330 grams
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 teaspoons molasses (not blackstrap)
  • 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt (use ¾ teaspoon if using table salt)
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 eggs, cold
  • 2¼ cups bread flour- 280 grams
  • ⅓ cup whole wheat flour- 40 grams
  • 10 ounces your favorite semisweet chocolate bar, roughly chopped
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, melt ½ cup (1 stick) butter over medium heat until bubbling and foamy. Swirl the butter as it sizzles and cracks. When the foaming subsides the butter will begin to brown- keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn. When the butter smells nutty and has become golden brown, carefully pour the liquid and brown bits into a shallow heat-safe bowl to cool for 20 minutes.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the browned butter, remaining ½ cup softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla, water, molasses, salt and baking soda. Turn the mixer on low to combine all of the ingredients and then raise to medium and beat for 1 minute until smooth. Stop and give your bowl a scrape and beat for another few seconds until completely combined. Add one of the eggs and beat on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the second egg, beating again on medium speed. The mixture will resemble thin caramel sauce. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and add the bread flour and wheat flour to the bowl, mixing on low until the flour is completely combined. Take the bowl off the stand mixer and use a spatula to stir in the chopped chocolate.
  3. Scoop out 2 tablespoon portions of dough and arrange them on a large plate or sheet pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill about 2 hours until firm, or up to overnight.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375*F and line two cookie sheets with parchment. Place the cookie dough portions 2” apart on the trays and flatten the dough balls just slightly. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until the edge are set and the centers have puffed. Cool on the cookie sheets.
Notes
-For maximum flavor development, plan to let the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight.
-To create an extra special presentation, reserve about ¼ cup of the chopped chocolate, adding a few pieces of chocolate to the top of each cookie before baking.
-If your oven runs hot or you like chewier cookies, you may want to bake your cookies for a minute or two less.
Recipe by Baking With Dan at https://www.bakingwithdan.com/my-best-chocolate-chip-cookies/