THE Chocolate Chip Cookies

What makes the perfect chocolate chip cookie? Those are fighting words, I know. Some cookies are soft and cake-like. Others are crispy and the size of one’s face. My preference? I like my edges crispy, the centers doughy, and I love cookies that are tender hours (and if they make it that far, days) after baking.

Ever since I was a small child, my family has been making these chocolate chip cookies. The preparation techniques have been tweaked over time, but the ingredients have remained the same. This recipe has won bake-offs, solidified friendships, and comforted me through military deployments.

There are a couple of secrets that this recipe holds, but I have never been one to keep secrets. Good things are worth sharing, so indulge me…

…these make phenomenal cookie dough balls, ready for snacking on a whim. Once the dough is ready, I scoop 1/2 inch balls onto a parchment-lined cookie tray. I freeze the tray for several hours and once frozen, place the cookie dough balls in a plastic ziplock bag. From frozen, bake as many cookies as you like at 365 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

…the combination of half butter and half shortening is nothing short of a cookie miracle. The cookies have full butter flavor, crispy edges, but the shortening gives them a soft interior that lasts for days after baking.

…this recipe, handwritten on a napkin, is the way to make friends for life! I love it when people send me texts and photos of their latest baking endeavors! These cookies are so good, they inspire that kind of lifelong relationship.