Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am cookie challenged. I don't know if it's high-altitude issues or what, but I never seemed to have a problem with cookie textures before moving to Utah. I had basically given up on ever getting a moist, chewy cookie that held its structure instead of falling flat until one day in fall 2004.  I was at a soccer game (Ya was a budding superstar!), and it was another mom's day for team treats. She brought milk and these oversized cookies. I was immediately struck by the size and structure, then the cookie's tender chewiness. I begged for the recipe, and she was sweet enough to share. Success at last! 

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
(source: Christy Nemelka)

This recipe is exactly as she gave it to me. I've had to make it my own with a little experimentation. Pull these out of the oven before you think they're done--just barely starting to brown. Test with one or two cookies first. Size-wise I make these a little bigger than normal (using 2- to 2.5-ounce scoops) but not as big as the originals, which were huge. I think the best cookies are made with room temperature dough. These are great the next day!

2 cups butter (4 cubes), at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 to 1 1/2 12-ounce bags chocolate chips (I use closer to 1 bag)

Preheat oven to 375˚.* Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture slowly to creamed mixture. It will be a very thick dough. If necessary, add a little milk to adjust dough consistency. (I've never had to do this.) Cookie dough should be somewhat dry to the touch. Add chocolate chips. 

Using an ice cream scoop to form these fun, oversized cookies. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake 2-ounce scoops about 8 minutes; bake 2.5-ounce scoops about 10 minues. Pull cookie sheet out of the oven when barely starting to brown. Place sheet on cooking rack. Leave cookies on the hot sheet for a minute or two to set, then transfer to cooling rack. If they spread too much, add up to 1/4 cup additional flour. 

*I once read that baking cookies at a higher temperature (375˚ vs 350˚) speeds up the cooking process so that water doesn't evaporate and concentrate the sugars, which results in leaving the cookies hard.