If you follow me on IG, then you already know that I love to bake. And I especially love to bake cookies. Every Sunday, in fact, that’s what I do. Right now, it’s all about chocolate chip cookies in our house. While I usually stick with my own very own tried-and-true chocolate chip cookie recipe (note: I always use this medium size scoop and I fully believe that chilling the dough is key!), I decided to change things up a bit and embark on a bit of cookie quest. I’m taking all the “best of” recipes and baking them to see which one really is the best. Thankfully, I have a family of very eager taste-testers who are more than willing to give feedback along the way. (It’s really turned into quite the experiment. I’ve even been setting aside a portion of each recipe’s dough and freezing it so that we can eventually do a blind taste test. Side-by-side comparison is key. What can I say? We’re serious about our cookies around here.) So far, I’ve covered the obvious three: The New York Times, Alton Brown’s, and Cook’s Illustrated. No surprise here: they’re all delicious. My personal favorite of the three was the NYT cookie. It requires some patience but it’s totally worth it.
What I’ve learned in the process is that people have pretty serious opinions about what makes a delicious chocolate chip cookie. Today, I want to know yours. You, dear readers, have always given me excellent tips in the past (it’s because of you that I discovered the heaven that is Levain!) and I have no doubt that you’ll have some good ones to share here. So, tell me. Who makes the very best chocolate chip cookie? If it’s a recipe, please share it. If it’s a bakery, share that, too! I’ll add it to my must-visit list. The very best chocolate chip cookie is definitely worth a trip.
Ok. I’ll start. There’s lots of amazing cookies in Dallas but when it comes to chocolate chip, the very best comes from The Great One Cookie. So, so delicious. I also have to mention Tiny Boxwoods in Houston. It might be the best in the state. Trust me on that one.
Ambitious Kitchen has a great recipe…the blogger subscribes to your chilled dough philosophy as well. She also does a spin on this recipe by stuffing Nutella into the dough, but this is the OG version.
http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2016/10/brown-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
And if you’re wanting to try something different and willing to deviate from choc chip, these cookies are delish to order.
http://www.brownbuttercookies.com/
Can’t wait to try the NYT recipe out!!
I 2nd the brown butter cookies – we visit the shop ALL the time and they just taste just as delicious in the mail. Cocoa is my favorite!
Had Levain in NYC too!
Tiny Boxwoods is my personal best but I have not tried the NYT recipe. TB has never published their recipe which is, I expect, a trade secret. I would hold onto it tightly if I were TB. I agree that chilling the dough is a must but I’ve never experimented with different flours, such as cake flour and bread flour. Baking chocolate chip cookies is a form of art.
I love the flavor added by a little ground espresso!
I swear by this recipe that I stumbled upon years ago:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/10813/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/
To me the best chocolate chip cookie has slightly crisp edges and a soft center. This recipe definitely achieves both! I also use Mexican Vanilla Extract. I follow the recipe exactly, including adding hot water to the baking soda which is an interesting extra little step.
My great grandma made the best chocolate chip cookies! It is believed that she strictly followed the tollhouse recipe but no one has yet to recreate the cookie just right.
Please share your recipe.
This one has been my favorite for years, it’s a variation of Alton’s.
http://joythebaker.com/2010/08/chewy-molasses-chocolate-chip-cookies/
The only adjustment I make is that in addition to the bittersweet/dark chocolate chunks, I add a small amount of milk chunks. I (and my tasters) like the the mix of chocolate combined with the molasses.
I think I’m going to try the NYT recipe this weekend!
100% agree about TB and Levain-the best! I use the Tollhouse recipe myself, but I make sure to always use “good” vanilla, butter, eggs, etc.–I sound like Ina, but I think it makes a difference! Good luck and report back!
These are my absolute favorite —
https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/03/crispy-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
One of my favorite cookies in Dallas is JD’s Chippery near SMU. YUM!
Thanks so much for including us in this drool-worthy roundup!
Bradley – can you share your “tried-and-true” chocolate chip cookie recipe with us pleaseeee??
It’s my one and only secret!
My favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe is really involved, like a making a sculpture 🙂 I do have a pretty cool guide that lists and compares every chocolate chip cookie recipe. I guarantee, it is the only chocolate chip cookie guide/recipes you will ever need:
https://easierbaking.com/free_guide.pdf
The above just the introduction.