Haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd break the absentminded silence with a recipe.

I've been looking around for a definitive chocolate chip cookie recipe for a while. Everyone's got their preferences: me personally, I like a slightly chewy, slightly crispy-at-edges cookie, moderately sized, with a medium amount of good quality bittersweet chocolate chips, and a dough that tastes of butter, vanilla, and brown sugar in equal measure. I'm agnostic on the subject of nuts/no nuts, but if they're there I prefer pecans to walnuts.

So this latest batch...this turned out pretty damn good. I adapted it from the bag of Trader Joe's chocolate chips - which, by the way, Trader Joe's chocolate chips are SHOCKINGLY good, especially considering the price, which is less than most supermarket brands. I used to swear by Ghirardelli, but seriously, these are like half the price and may actually be better. Further investigation suggests that this is because TJ's gets their chips semi-secretly from fancy chocolatier Callebaut, in a similar manner to the way they sometimes get expensive wines for crazy-cheap because premium wineries can't afford to sell all their product for that year under their own brand name.

Also, I gave one to a fellow grad student yesterday and a couple hours later I got this email:

Re: COOKIE
That was the best homemade cookie I've ever had, thank you so much! The texture, the size, the flavor--everything about it was SO GOOD! If the cookie monster ate one he'd probably tear up at its perfection. Seriously.

Things to invest in best quality: vanilla (always), chocolate chips, at least decent quality butter. I used TJ's organic cane sugar, which is slightly coarse and brownish, for the granulated sugar, and I find I like the effect on flavor and texture better than my usual baker's sugar.

Chilling the dough is an important aid to the chewy/moist effect, since it stops the cookies from spreading out too fast. I learned this from my oatmeal cookie recipe of great awesome, but the same principle applies here. Also, the break for chilling is a useful time to throw things into the dishwasher or check your email.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. (2 sticks) softened (not melted) butter
2 t. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 package (12 oz.) chocolate chips
1/2 c. pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Butter cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Cream butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs. Mix. Add soda, salt, and flour by parts until well mixed. Fold in chips, and nuts if desired.

Chill dough, in fridge for ~30 min or in freezer ~10 min.

Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until golden brown on edges, not-quite-set in center. Let rest on sheet 1-2 minutes before removing to cool on rack or wax paper.

Makes around 2 dozen.