Sunday, March 7, 2010

It's National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week....

So pull up a chair, grab a glass of milk, and prepare to feast your eyes on NINE different chocolate chip cookies over the course of the week!

You may be wondering what possessed me to make so many chocolate chip cookies. It started with the TWD post a few weeks ago. The recipe was Dorie Greenspan's CCC's and while reading all the posts I realized how many people had their favorite recipe and that it wouldn't be changed. I don't know why that shocked me. I have a favorite CCC recipe and was not interested in finding a new one.

The thought crossed my mind to try out a few of the popular favorites and then, while researching, I found out that National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week was coming up. A little too perfect, don't you think?

One thing I want to mention is that I did my best to follow each recipe EXACTLY as written. If the dough needed to be chilled, I chilled it. If it didn't specify, I baked them straight from the mixer. Also, even though I occasionally like to chop my own chocolate bars for my cookies, if the recipe stated chips, I used chips. I figure this is the fairest way to judge the cookies. No tweaking allowed. Although nuts aren't in any of the cookies (except one) because we just aren't "nuts in our cookies" kind of people!

This post has two chocolate chip cookie recipes. My old standby and current family favorite - The Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie and the original chocolate chip cookie-The Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie.



I have been making the big, fat, chewy chocolate chip cookies for as long as I can remember. They are exactly what I want in a CCC. Big, soft, chewy, and full of chocolatey goodness! No other cookie has compared to this one in the past and it will be tough to beat. (And, no, I won't tell you if a new champion has been crowned. You'll have to wait until the end of the week for that!)


The Nestle Toll House cookie came to be in 1930 when Ruth Wakefield, owner of The Toll House Inn, cut up a Nestle chocolate bar and added it to her butter cookie dough. She expected the chocolate to melt and was surprised to see that it had held its shape. The cookies became very popular at the Toll House Inn and, shortly after, the recipe was printed on the back of the Nestle chocolate bars. In 1939, Nestle made it convenient for everyone and started making chocolate chips.

There really isn't anything bad to say about the Nestle Toll House cookie. It is a delicious cookie, crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle. Definately a chocolate chip cookie staple recipe and probably the recipe that is made the most. I mean, they do have an advantage since the recipe is on the back of the chocolate chips!

I do hope you will stick around all week and read about my chocolate chip cookie journey!

Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream butter and sugars; beat in vanilla and eggs. Mix in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by 1/4 cups on greased cookie sheet at least 3" apart. Bake 15-17 minutes or until edges are lightly toasted.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts


COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree [Fahrenheit] oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

15 comments:

Shelby said...

I love it that you are doing this! I believe you have convinced me that I need to make the Big, Fat, Chewy on cause Grumpy loves them made just that way and I have YET to come across one where he says I need to keep the recipe! I'll look forward to all your other posts :)

The McBride Family said...

I am happy and honored to get to try 7 of the 9 recipes over the next couple days!!! Can't wait to see the other recipes and I KNOW in your head everytime you read or wrote Nestle Tollhouse you were saying it french style (think Phoebe!) LOVE YOU!

Jessie said...

I cannot believe it is national chocolate chip cookie week what a great way to celebrate my birthday since I love cookies too! I look forward to seeing what kind of cookies you whip up :)

Megan said...

I can't believe the CCC gets a whole week, not just a day! I've tried the Toll House but I'm bookmarking the Big Fat Chewey One! I'll be watchicg for the other recipes with excitment. Happy CCC week!

Bob said...

Yeah, I'll be sticking around for CCC week. Definitely :D

Flourchild said...

How fun. I love CC cookies! Im going to try your recipe, they look so good. I love Toll house cookies, it seems to be the recipe I always go back too! I am going to try your recipe.

Peggy Clyde said...

What a wonderful week this is going to be. Chocolate chip cookies are my most favorite of all. Thanks.

Kathleen said...

Great idea! Ironically, I planned on making some ccc tonight and I had no idea that this week was national ccc week! Both recipes you baked look incredible!

Susan said...

Can't wait to find out who gets crowned champion!

Gretchen said...

What a fun week! I will be checking in each night to see the new recipes!

Unknown said...

Yum! You are so funny making 9 CCC recipes!!! LOL I'm trying your fave **or used to be fave ... we still don't know ;)** as I type :D

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I can't wait to find out if your favorite stayed the same or if you have a new one.

Perhaps by the end of the week I'll want to bake a batch myself.
~ingrid

Lisa said...

Can't wait to find out which one is the best. Hope the Alton Brown recipe is one that you're testing.

Katy ~ said...

I'm a definite Tollhouse CCC fan. For me there is no other, grins.

Brad and Erica said...

So, I got this great package in the mail the other day. Turns out, Cristine is a good cook, but an even better friend! Even though I live on the other side of the ocean, she sent me 7 of the 9 chocolate chip cookies, so that we can enjoy CCC week right along with her. In the spirit of the week, we decided in our family to rate all of the cookies based on their "travelbility." (Yes, I made that word up . . . ) We rated the cookies based on how good they tasted after a week or so in a priority rate box, and what kind of shape they were in when they got here. So.... The Big Fat Chewy cookies held up remarkably well. After a week, they were a little bit on the dry side, but overall, a great cookie. The Nestle Tollhouse cookie held up even better. It retained most of its original texture, and in my opinion, there was just the right amount of chocolate. Can't go wrong with the original!

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