Dorie's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies: 2 ways.

Before I started this blog and started baking a lot, my knowledge of bakers was limited to those on television or Betty Crocker. I had never heard of Dorie Greenspan. How could I? She wasn't on the food network, right?

As I started reading other baking blogs, I started to come across her name... I'd see phrases like... "Another awesome Dorie recipe." or "I know this is like the 15th Dorie Recipe I've posted in as many days." I started wondering... who is this Dorie lady and why haven't I heard of her?

Eventually, I made her World Peace Cookies (which were really, really good)and her Chocolate Malted Cookies (which, were okay, but I'd like to make them again). I still didn't fully understand the buzz around her though. And then I happened to be in the car during rush hour one day and heard her segment on NPR (I think it was on all things considered, but don't quote me on that) and she was talking about Figgy Pudding (it was around Christmas, obviously). And her voice, her excitement, her knowledge, her chuckle... it all really mesmorized me and I said out loud to myself in the car. "I want to make Figgy Pudding, dammit!" I mean, seriously... who wants to make figgy pudding??? I had to get a Dorie cookbook. It's a pricy cookbook, though. So, it was kind of hard for me to just fork over the money for a cookbook (when I get so many of my recipes online these days).

Serendipitously, though, my friend Steph bought me Dorie's Baking: From My Home to Yours for my birthday! So, I've joined Tuesdays With Dorie and will be posting next Tuesday for the first time being a part of a blogging group!

So, Monday night, I decided to try out my first recipe using her actual cookbook. I decided to test her Chocolate Chip Cookies against my Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies. I decided to halve the recipe and then I split the recipe into two different kinds. One was your basic Chocolate Chip Cookies with Semi-Sweet and Milk Chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate, I know, I'm weird). And then I made the other half with Reese Pieces, Peanut Butter Chips, and M&Ms.

These cookies are good. Very good. But, not as good as my favorite cookies. These cookies come out a little flatter and crispier than my favorite cookies. My favorite cookies are nice and puffy. The flavor of these cookies is really good, though. I love the sugar blend in this cookie. It lends a rich, molasses-y type of flavor. Yum.

My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Dorie Greenspan Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 0z bittersweet chocolate or 2 cups of store bought chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped nuts

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth (about 1 minute). Add sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated. On low speed, or by hand with a rubber spatula mix in the chocolate and nuts.

Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet for one minute before transfering to a cooling rack.

Makes about 45 cookies.