It's All About The Chocolate
This time, I wanted to take this experiment to the next level.
When I first made these cookies, I did so with regular Tollhouse chocolate chips. However, after reading a post on the wonderful blog Baking Bites, I knew I had to upgrade. To quote her:
“In the May/June 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated, the magazine staff took on the challenge of rating various brands of chocolate chips to try and find the very best for making chocolate chips cookies. In the test, they looked for brands that had a good chocolate flavor and a good amount of cocoa butter in them. Many brands of chocolate chips – especially when you get into less expensive brands – use less cocoa butter than, say, a chocolate bar does. This means that the chips retain their shape more during baking – not necessarily a good thing because it means that you end up with bits of chocolate, not chocolate evenly melted throughout the cookie. Cook’s Illustrated winning chip was Ghirardelli’s 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips for their excellent flavor and great melt. Finishing in a close second were Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips, Guittard’s Semisweet Chocolate Chips, Hershey’s Semisweet Chocolate Chips and Ghirardelli’s Semisweet Chocolate Chips. The Nestle Tollhouse chips and chocolate chunks finished at the bottom of the list and were not recommended.”
So you can see why I had to try this. I decided to bite the bullet and pay a few extra dollars for Guittard SemiSweet Chocolate Chips and let me tell you – those were the best extra $3 I ever spent. These cookies were already delicious, but this chocolate took them over the top. I don’t think I can go back to TollHouse ever again. You should all try to make the switch at least once. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
For Martha’s Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, click here. I’m now ready to try this with other recipes in search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. So please leave me a comment with your favorite recipe. I’ve heard a lot of buzz over Alton Brown’s recipe, so I’m trying that one next.
Look at the melting chocolate – That’s what I’m talking about!!!
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William Casper — July 15, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
How weird…I was just passing by to see if you had any new post and came across this one. Of all the cookie varieties, Chocolate Chip is my absolute favorite. They are simple but quite satisfying. I think I'll have one today just because of this post. Thanks Eliana.
Teanna — July 15, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
I LOVE Martha's soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe! And I'm going to have to splurge on the Guittard next time!
Katrina — July 15, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
Anna, Rita and I are pretty darn fond of our cookie creation make with hard boiled (or cooked)egg. These are so good!http://kevnkoi.blogspot.com/2008/10/amazing-hard-boiled-egg-chocolate-chip.htmlAnother favorite–I love Levain's cc cookie! Also cloned by many people, but the latest one I love that is like the Levain is here–Lisa Michele's Reworked Levain Copycat Recipe2 sticks ‘cold and cubed’ unsalted butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 2 3/4 to 3 cups AP flour 1 teaspoon table or fine sea salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I usually use half semisweet and half milk chocolate) 1 cup walnuts (Toast the nuts for more flavor, if desired. Use any kind of nut you like. I love macadamias in these) DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees.1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time.. and beat until well incorporated.2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips/chunks and nuts.3. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 12 equal portions, **about 4 oz each4. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes depending on how gooey and raw’ish’ you like the interior, until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat in an airtight container.These are best eaten on the day they are made (ESPECIALLY warm out of the oven – like most chocolate chip cookies). To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.Also, once again, the Levain Bakery does not use vanilla extract in their chocolate chip walnut cookies. If you’d prefer to use it, add 1 tsp along with the eggs.Makes about 12-14 cookies* 6 oz portions will give you about 8-10 cookies – bake another 3-5 minutes at 375F.Her post for this cookie can be found here–http://lisamichele.wordpress.com/2009/03/11/reworking-the-levain-copycat-cookie/By the way, she uses some light brown and some dark brown sugar. I did like that, but have also made her recipe with just light brown sugar and it's still GREAT! For some reason Alton's is not my favorite, although I know that and the ATK cookie is a favorite of many people. Depends on what kind of cookie you like.Another good one out there is on Allrecipes–Best, Big, Fat Chewy CCCHave fun. CCC's are my favorite things to play around with and bake! As if you didn't know.
Katrina — July 15, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
AND the NY Times cookie is also a favorite of mine. I can't believe I forgot about that one for a minute. You can Google NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookie and find it pretty easily. It's also all over my blog.
Okay, I'll shut up now. hehe
Tracey — July 15, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
I splurged on Guittard once a few months ago and they were amazing!! I'll have to give these cookies a try – I don't think I've ever made this particular recipe.
Paris Pastry — July 15, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
I don't care for dark chocolate either! In fact, I mostly use milk chocolate in my recipes. But I adore melted chocolate
For some reason it tastes 10 x better when it's melted!Cookie looks very chewy 
The Duo Dishes — July 16, 2009 @ 12:44 am
Mmmm melty melty chocolate. We should try this Guittard chocolate one day. Seems to make quite the difference in the baking realm.
Shandy — July 16, 2009 @ 2:07 am
Oh Great! I am constantly trying different chocolate chip cookies and love the one I do with toasted, chopped pecans and now you are telling us Alton Brown has a pretty awesome one? That man could cook or bake a cactus and it would turn out great =DLOVE the melted chocolate photo…the chocolate was so worth the extra money
burpandslurp — July 16, 2009 @ 4:02 am
Oh, I'm guilty of using the cheapest brand choc chips when baking! But I guess you're right, you've gotta use the good ones, esp in a choc-chip dominant goody like these amazing cookies!
flamegoddess65 — July 16, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
i just bought my FIRST bag of Guittard chocolate chips. i think i bought the semisweet. i can't wait to see and taste the difference
pinkstripes — July 16, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
I used to not like dark chocolate, but now I find it pleasant in baked goods. Can't eat it straight. I do love semi-sweet and milk chocolate.Your cookies look amazing. YUM.
Pamela — July 16, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Now I've gotta go find some Guittard chips. My local grocery store doesn't carry them, so I am in search of them! The cookie look fantastic.
Marta — July 16, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
I can think of no better use for these dark chocolate chips! I love both Dorie and Martha, I put them to test in their brownie recipes… Dorie won there!These look delicious!
Jen @ MyKitchenAddiction.com — July 16, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
Beautiful cookies – I need to find some of those chocolate chips (or order online)… sounds divine!
Donna-FFW — July 17, 2009 @ 12:57 am
OK Ive got to find and use these chips!! Your cookie cross section shot looks amazing!
Elissa — July 17, 2009 @ 5:25 am
Wow! I actually tried making chocolate chip cookies yesterday (Alton's recipe, as a matter of fact) and they did not turn out well at all. Blegh. But it might have just been me. Your cookies look warm and melty-chocolate good.
spike. — July 17, 2009 @ 12:16 pm
Love Guittard chips! Such a difference
Snooky doodle — July 20, 2009 @ 5:41 am
These cookies look delicious! You right good quality chocolate make a great difference. Pity I don t find guitard here however I find good quality chocolate
Kaitlin — July 26, 2009 @ 2:19 am
I'm actually not a huge fan of chocolate either – only in very specific applications, like brownies and chocolate chip cookies. In my province in Canada, at least in the regular grocery stores, our choices are very limited when it comes to chocolate chips. But this is inspiration to look for a higher quality chocolate chip either at a higher end grocery store or on my next day trip to the States. Thanks!