A Woman's Work is NEVER Done: More Chocolate Chip 'Cookies

Here is a recipe I have been wanting to try forever and this past weekend I finally did. It comes from Sarah Phillips' book Baking 411. She promises a cookie with a crunchy outside and a chewy inside that is not cakelike. These cookies deliver. They taste like how the Nestle Tollhouse cookies should taste (if the recipe can be prepared correctly). That is the great thing about these cookies, you don't need special flour (like Alton's) or to chill the dough. The addition of baking powder is what gives these cookies their slight lift and soft chew without becoming cake-like. Just whip them up and bake them and you won't be sorry!

Bonus: I froze several of these, and even out of the freezer they are slightly "chewy" and not rock hard!

Here is her recipe for:

Thick with a Chew Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon into meauring cup and level to top rim)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 easpoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter (can be cold from refrigerator - cut each stick into tablespoon size pieces if cold)

2 large eggs, can be cold from refrigerator

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional (chop, then measure)

DIRECTIONS:

Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Heat oven to 375.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

If the butter is cold, in a large bowl, beat the butter until just softened with a handheld mixer on low speed. Add the sugars and cream on low until well combined.

If the butter is at room temperature or somewhat soft, combine it with the sugars in the mixing bowl and cream together. If you cream the mixture just right, it will look somewhat creamy and a little shaggy.

Do not overcream it to the point that it is really creamy and the butter starts to feel greasy. If you do, place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until the fat hardens.

With the mixer still on low, add the eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.With a large rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture. The dough will be stiff. Beat on low for 5 to 10 seconds to combine.

Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.Roll one tablespoon of the dough into a ball for each cookie, and place the balls about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

The dough will spread very little when baked. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (about 5 minutes for smaller cookies) until just browned around the edges, and pale and slightly unset in the middle. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 1 minute. Then remove the cookies from the sheet to wire racks to cool completely.