Henri & Janna Nestle's Cookies

If Henri Nestle and I had a baby, this is what it'd look like:

I made a double batch this time, so the bars came out thicker, but they're even better and bake more evenly when you do a single batch.

I don't have a completely unique chocolate chip cookie recipe. My mom had always used a slightly adjusted version of the Nestle Tollhouse original chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I do the same. But I often get asked about my cookies and how I get them to taste so good. Well, I really don't know enough about food science to be able to give a thorough explanation, so I'm just going to show you exactly what I do and give you the measurements as I go along. If nothing else, you can enjoy some yummy photos!

Preheat the oven to 345 degrees.
Admire your pretty ingredients.

If your butter isn't room-temperature, open up the sticks (2 for a single batch. I made a double this time which is why you see 4.) so they look like the ones in the photo above and put 'em in the microwave for, oh, 12-15 seconds. Don't let the butter melt. When you drop the butter into the mixing bowl, the residue should look something like this if you got the texture right.

Dump in 3/4 cup of sugar.

And now 3/4 cup of brown sugar.

Fasten your paddle.

Cream the sugar and butter together on low for a bit, and then when that doesn't seem to be doing much anymore, crank it up...

...until it looks like this. 

With the speed on low, add each egg, 2 total, one at a time, allowing the first to combine before adding the second.

Give the edge of the bowl a good scrape down and beat the mixture again on medium until it's evenly combined.

Add 1 overflowing teaspoon of PURE vanilla extract and mix until combined. (You can also do this step when you cream the butter and sugar if you feel like it.)

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 slightly heaping cups of all-purpose flour

 with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Refill your flour container.

Reassess your decision to try and photograph yourself with one hand while refilling the flour container with the other.

Decide to make the most of your stupidity by inviting your toddler to make cute toe prints in the mess on the floor.

 Add just a smidgeon of extra flour if you think it needs it.

Gear up to say goodbye to your chocolate chips.

Grab 2 big, big handfuls. 

...and let 'em go. Don't worry; they'll be back. Add a little more if you like 'em really chocolatey!

Taste the dough. Taste it again. One more time. Make any adjustments you'd like. Don't be scared. onemoretaste. 

Now scrape that puppy into a 9x13 baking dish or into a very large, round pizza pan. (Baking one giant cookie is part of what keeps it moist for a long time. It's also how you can make them so soft in the first place. One big cookie means more gooey insides.)

Spread out evenly with a large wooden or metal spoon.

Waves of heavenly cookie dough....

One more photo just to show you my cool, wavy spoon.

Bake for about 17 minutes for a single batch or 27 for a double, and then check on it. Give the dish/pan a shake to see if the cookie has set. If you're not sure if it's done, stick it with a knife or fork. It should be only a little bit messy, not goopy. If it needs more time, turn the oven temp down about 40 degrees or so so that the outside doesn't burn. Add another 2 minutes at a time until done for a single batch, or 4 minutes at a time for a double until done. Always err on the side of the cookie being a little underdone. They should have a light brown color (not too, too much darker than the color of the original dough), medium brown at most. Never dark brown.

The cookies from the batch I made for this post were rushed out the door, so I never got to take a photo. But this is how I usually make the cookie.

Wait to cut them until ready to serve since whichever parts are exposed to air will begin to harden.

Invite me over to help you eat them. I'll bring the ice cream!