In Defense of the Original Chocolate Chip Cookie

With all the new vegan recipes (they have their own Pinterest page), it’s hard to remember the good ol’ fashioned chocolate chip cookies. A time when chocolate chip cookies were mostly about hanging out with mom in the kitchen, trying not to burn the house down and, of course, eating raw cookie dough. When did chocolate chip cookies become so fancy? What happened to the simple but spectacular process of making a simple cookie, when almond milk and coconut oil were not even considered appropriate ingredients?

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a healthier chocolate chip cookie, but nothing will ever replace THE chocolate chip cookie. The cookie that could bring a family (or at least my family) into the kitchen and demolish a batch in 10 seconds flat. The cookie that was used as a friendly welcome to new neighbors. The cookie that just made you feel really good (despite the stomach ache you had from all that raw dough).

Chocolate chip cookies have been around for a while. And there’s a reason: a reason that doesn’t involve almond milk. So the next time you’re baking (or looking to eat some real cookie dough), just remember the old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie. Because I’m not just not sure a vegan chocolate chip cookie would have had the same effect on me when my mom was asking me to come downstairs. Or on my neighbors who had just moved in next door. Sure, any chocolate chip cookie is better than no chocolate chip cookie, but there’s a lot more heart and tradition in the cookie that your grandma was making for you as opposed to the cookie that feels more like a fad than anything else. So I’m not saying almond milk is bad (I mean, I don’t like it, but that’s a different story), I’m just saying, even if it’s only sometimes, put away the fancy milk and get to baking the cookie you grew up with.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 18 minutes (plus a half hour for refrigeration time)
Total Time: 1 hour and 3 minutes

Servings: 18

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups dark or milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a hand mixer (or a spoon), mix butter and both sugars until just combined.

4. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix until well incorporated.

5. Add flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

6. Fold in the chocolate chips and place cookie dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to chill.

7. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 ½ inches apart and bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

8. Allow cookies to cool for 5-7 minutes before serving.