chocolate chip cookies

i met my first love in fourth grade, amidst a crowded elementary school cafeteria.

my baking first love, that is. as i watched my american classmates unpack their beautifully layered sandwiches and fresh baked cookies, i lost my appetite for the bento box of rice, seaweed, and myulchi (fermented anchovies - i swear it tastes better than it sounds) that my umma had lovingly prepared. i was particularly envious of the cookies because sugar and processed foods were strictly rationed in our household. subtlety is not my forte, and my classmate must have noticed the drool trailing down my chin because he offered me one of the coveted chocolate chip cookies. it was love at first bite - I had a ratatouille moment where everything else faded away and i got lost in buttery chocolate bliss. once I snapped back to reality I knew that i needed more, and thus began my baking conquests.

my love for baking started out innocently enough, with the tollhouse break and bake packs of cookie dough. after mastering the techniques of breaking and baking without burning, i graduated to making cookies from scratch. it was only a matter of time before i started exploring other more complicated recipes - cupcakes, cream puffs, cheesecake, etc - but chocolate chip cookies will always be my first love that I keep coming back to.

just like with hairstyles, i’ve tried many different chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years. starting with allrecipes’ best chocolate chip cookies, which i thought was the best until i stumbled upon joy the baker’s dark chocolate, pistachio, & smoked sea salt cookies. then a few days ago i woke up early with an intense chocolate chip cookie craving that brought me to this one that i truly think is the one. i will commit to this recipe through thick and thin waistlines, until death (probably by diabetes) do us part. it’s inspired by levain bakery’s divine chocolate chip cookies that i love and miss dearly. i may have walked through central park in the nyc winter (without a coat!) just to get to these cookies. since flying to nyc is out of the question right now, i’m gonna make this long-distance relationship with levain work by making these in the meantime.

last but not least, a few lessons i’ve learned throughout my relationship with chocolate chip cookies:

1. chips vs. chunks - i like to do a mix of chocolate chips and chopped chocolate bars, semi-sweet and dark chocolate for a well-rounded chocolate flavor and appearance. the chocolate flakes sprinkled throughout the dough make them look more fancy.

2. chill out - cookies taste best when you let the dough chill for at least 2 hours before scooping and baking. this improves their flavor and texture.

3. put the love on top - for emoji-like cookies, its best to add a few chunks of chocolate on top of each cookie dough ball before baking. a salt-bae sprinkle of flaky sea salt is also a great addition.

---

chocolate chip cookies

recipe adapted from modern honey

ingredients:

dry ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1½ cups (180 g) cake flour
1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate, plus more for topping

wet ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed (i like kerrygold)
2 eggs

instructions:

1. in a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

2. cream together cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl for about 4 minutes or until nice and creamy. add eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next.

3. add dry mixture from step one to the mixing bowl and stir just until combined. mix in the chocolate chips.

4. cover and refrigerate the cookie dough for 2 hours.

5. preheat the oven to 410°f with rack centered in the oven and line a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. scoop out ~3 tbsp portions of cookie dough, roll into balls, then place on cookie sheet and top with a few extra chunks of chocolate.

6. bake for 10-13 minutes or until the top is golden brown, then let cool for 10 minutes before devouring or transferring to wire rack.