Awesome Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Total Time: 24 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 9 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels (12oz pkg)
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 2 combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
• 3 beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
• 4 add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 5 gradually beat in flour mixture.
• 6 stir in morsels and nuts.
• 7 note: i like to refrigerate the dough for 15 mins or so, to get it cool. this helps get a chunky cookie instead of a flat one. i also cool my sheets down with cold water in between batches so they don't start to melt before they get into the oven.
• 8 drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
• 9 bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• 10 *tip: to keep cookies soft, store them in an airtight container with a piece of bread.
• 11 pan cookie variation: grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. prepare dough as above. spread into prepared pan. bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. cool in pan on wire rack. makes 4 dozen bars.
• 12 slice and bake cookie variation:
• 13 prepare dough as above. divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in waxed paper. refrigerate for 30 minutes.* preheat oven to 375°f cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. makes about 5 dozen cookies.
• 14 * may be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.
• 15 for high altitude baking (5,200 feet): increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.