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Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookies

Could it be? A great chocolate chip cookie that can be made 100% by hand, and you don’t have to rest it? Yup!

I seek a certain texture from my cookies: chewy, but also on the soft side. You might already know this if you’ve tried my Confetti Cookies. Similar to the recipe for those, these chocolate chip cookies will rely on melted butter for some of its chewiness. This also simplifies the entire mixing process, turning it in a one-bowl affair. Brown sugar and finely-chopped semisweet chocolate will also promote a good chew. Throwing in around 30% whole wheat flour will kick these over the chewy threshold, adding flavor and structure to the dough. 2020 Update: I have a new Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookie worth trying out!

Recipe Notes: If you don’t have whole wheat flour, you can substitute more all purpose, but the cookies may spread more due to less protein content. Please cool your butter till it’s room temperature but still liquid, about 15 - 20 minutes. It will help you get just a little more air into the dough if you whisk strongly for several minutes. The chocolate bars should be roughly chopped — some very small and large chunks, but no bigger than a thumbnail. During and after baking, we’re going to carefully bang the cookies on the oven rack or counter - please do whichever is safest for you! You don’t have to bang the pan if you don’t want to, but it contributes to the spreading and cracking of the cookies.

Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 10 - 12 large cookies

1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup roughly chopped semisweet chocolate
Flaky salt for garnishing

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to 350°. Place an oven rack in the upper half of the oven.

2. Melt the butter in a small pot, just until fully liquefied. Carefully pour into a large bowl and set aside to cool.

3. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. It will look clumpy and dry — don’t worry!

4. Add in the yolks and water. Whisk until slightly thickened, a good 3 minutes if you’re whisking well in a large bowl.

5. Fold in the chocolate, but reserve a few big chunks for the tops of the cookies.

6. Fold in both flours and the baking soda all at once, stopping when there are no more flour streaks or dry patches.

7. Portion the cookies to 70g each, or use a cookie scoop that is around 3 tablespoons / 1.5 oz. Place on a large baking sheet 3” apart. Stuff a few large chocolate chunks on the tops of the cookies.

8. Bake for 8 minutes, then carefully pick up and drop the baking sheet on the oven rack (or the counter if it’s safer for you). Drop once more and place back in the oven. Bake a further 2 minutes, then remove from the oven. The cookies should be golden brown around the edges and lightly cracked.

9. Garnish with flaky salt and allow to cool a bit; they will continue cooking on the hot pan. Enjoy!