Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our basic chocolate chip cookie is really big and packed with chocolate chips and nuts. We make hundreds of these cookies every day; it’s clearly everyone’s favorite. The dough can be made up to 6 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to bake.

Makes About 2 Dozen 4-inch Cookies

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets and set aside.

3. Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix.

4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl and stir to mix.

6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and sitr just until the dry ingredients are moist and blended. Do not overmix.

7. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. (Note: The dough can be refrigerated in an airtight contianer up to 6 days at this point.)

8. Scoop the dough with a 1/4 cup (2 ounce) ice cream scoop or by the heaping tablespoon, and drop onto the prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Press the cookies with the back of a spatula to a thickness of 1/4 inch.

9. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the cookies are firm and light brown. Cool 5 to 10 minutes on the baking sheets before removing the cookies to the baking rack to cool completely.