After diving into the black hole that is food blogs, websites, and articles, I stumbled upon a piece on Famous Foodies that broke down how some of the biggest chefs in the game make their signature chocolate chip cookies.
So I did what any curious cookie-lover would do, I tried em’ out. Out of the six chefs who pronounced their recipe the best of the best, only one could be telling the truth. And after baking and tasting every last one, I found who I think really is ruler of the chocolate chip cookie universe:
Alton Brown – 6th place
Everyone loves a chewy cookie. There’s nothing worse than biting into a rock disguised as a dessert. So when I read that Alton’s secret to avoiding geological discovery was using bread flour and egg yolks in order to increase chewiness, I was pretty intrigued. Bread flour in baked goods, who does such a thing?
Despite raving reviews on how ingenious it is, TBH I wasn’t really impressed. They tasted good, but they didn't leave me praising the wonders of bread flour. Chewy level: 6.5/10.
Emeril Lagasse – 5th place
Emeril, you’re the OG guru on all things food, so it saddens me to put you in 5th, but this cookie recipe did not do it for me. There was nothing particularly stellar about the ingredient list, for starters. His only secret is making one giant cookie instead of many. Simply put, no change in taste, and the middle doesn’t get cooked. Outer edge: crispy, middle: gooey mess.
Bobby Flay – 4th place
Bobby’s recipe was just eh, and therefore it sits comfortably in the middle of the stack, not really wow-ing anyone, but not horrible either. His secret of using both light and dark brown sugar is said to increase chewiness, but they came out flat and *drumroll* not so chewy.
Maybe I should check my oven because that’s a 0 for 2 success rate of chefs who claim these shortcuts make their cookies extra chewy.
Ina Garten – 3rd place
Ina’s one of the most beloved chefs in the world, especially by us members of the Spooniverse, so it’s no surprise that her cookie recipe hit it out of the park. Classic and simple goes a long way, and this no-frills method of making the staple dessert was alllll about the taste.
Mario Batali – Runner-up
Batali’s Italian recipe put a few spins on the classic choco chip we’ve come to know and love. Known as the Mostaccioli, this cookie is a recipe to hold on to and cherish. With spices like nutmeg and ground clover to add a kick and cocoa powder to give it a chocolate punch, these bad boys finish as a crowd pleaser for the ages.
Giada De Laurentiis – 1st place
Giada’s take was more like a hybrid of four different types of cookies: chocolate chip, oatmeal, hazelnut, and toffee. So are we surprised she came out on top? Absolutely not.
Any cookie that manages to burst with a quadruplet of flavors with one bite is a winner in my book. That’s some Willy Wonka magic right there.
Besides having way too many cookies than I know what to do with, and probably salmonella, this challenge was 100% worth it. There is no greater hunt in a foodie’s life than finding the best recipe for something. Especially when it involves cookie dough.