Chocolate Chip Cookies – In Search of Cookie Nirvana

I have started experimenting with recipes old and new for the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

Something that’s crisp on the edges, not too soft, but definitely squidgy (a little bit soft) in the middle. I don’t mind whether the cookies are big or small, but I definitely want a little rise rather than pancake flat.

Looking back at my cookie posts, I realized that I have never blogged my go-to-recipe that I have made over the years. So today, I cooked up a batch with mixed results. I realized that these cookies are quite flat  – why have I not addressed this before?? No idea, except perhaps I have been too eager to get stuck into eating the cookies rather than worrying about the rise!

I made one batch of these pancake flat numbers –  still very yummy – then made a second batch to which I added more flour. This seemed to do the trick as the dough was a lot firmer, and the cookies rose nicely. You could even call them plump!

What to with the pancake cookies? Why a pancake cookie stack of course! And two pancake cookies can be sandwiched with icecream.

So here is the basic recipe. For risen cookies, I have included the extra flour; for pancake cookies there’s less flour. Take your pick: risen or pancake, they both taste really good!

Ingredients

125g butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 free-range egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups plain flour (risen cookies) 1 cup flour (pancake cookies)

1 tsp baking powder

50g chocolate chips (milk or dark)

50g good quality dark chocolate chopped into little and bigger shards

Method

Note: This is a food processor cookie. It would definitely be great to make it with an electric mixer – and for the purists, you will get really nicely creamed butter and sugar. But the food processor method is super quick – and your cookies are ready in no time.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar in the food processor until light and well, creamy! Add the vanilla extract and egg and process well. Add the flour and baking powder. You can sift them first, I never do. Gently pulse until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and the chopped chocolate.

Drop in dessert spoonfuls for large cookies or teaspoonfuls for smaller cookies on to the baking paper. You need to leave a gap of at least the size of 2 cookies between each (about 3 or 4 cms). Bake until the cookies are lovey and golden brown. This is usually between 12 and 15 minutes. I have found that watching the cookies is a better guide to when they are cooked than simply cooking for a certain number of minutes.

Cool for a few minutes on the baking trays, then finish on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

To make a pancake cookie stack, pile up cookies with any filling you like – cream, chocolate, or buttercream icing. I made a passionfruit buttercream for this stack.

T o make a pancake icecream sandwich, put two cookies together with your favourite icecream! I used choc-peanut-salted caramel swirl. Good old vanilla would be fab. Drizzle with chocolate.