In need of a little edible nostalgia? Whip up a batch of our soft and chewy Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
When you think of quintessential American food, what comes to mind? For me, that’s not hot dogs or apple pie, but chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies were invented in the late 1930s by Ruth Wakefield, who ran the Toll House restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts. You’ll find stories of how the cookie was the result of a happy baking misfortune (chips falling into the dough). The truth is, Ms. Wakefield was an accomplished baker, and the chocolate chip cookie is the result of extensive testing and planning.
For Americans experiencing the Great Depression, chocolate chip cookies were a little culinary respite during a troubling time. Rich, chewy, and inexpensive to make, they offered a sweet diversion from their everyday worries. When WWII came along, chocolate chip cookies were included in care boxes to loved ones serving overseas. Though chocolate was scarce, women were encouraged to use what chocolate they could find to make and send cookies, boosting their troops’ morale.
It’s easy to understand this cookie’s eternal popularity. It’s budget-friendly, quick to assemble, and quick to bake. And the nostalgia factor is off the charts! Often it’s one of the first things home bakers learn to make—with a pretty high success rate! Adding to these wonderful attributes is the irrefutable fact that they are delicious: chewy, sweet, a little earthy if you add nuts, and perfect for anything from a box lunch to a snack. That’s why the chocolate chip cookie is such a mainstay. If it was fussy or costly, it would keep company with the likes of baked Alaska or chocolate soufflé in the recipe books, occupying pages that are smooth and unsplattered because nobody makes them.
There are a couple of techniques to ensuring these small batch chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven irresistibly chewy. One is fluffing your butter. Not only is “fluffing butter” fun to say, but adding some air has a legitimate purpose. Whether you’re fluffing with a spatula or a hand mixer, the process of folding the butter over and over itself adds little pockets of air. Adding the sugars to the fluffy butter and continuing to stir the dough brings together crystals, fat, and air into a harmonious blend of wonderfulness. Just wait until you bite into one of these delightful treasures!
Tasty tweaks
One of the easiest ways to enhance these cookies is to sprinkle them with a touch of flaky sea salt before baking. Adding salt to sweet treats does a wonderful job at lifting the flavors. To make these cookies even more chocolaty, stir in two tablespoons of cocoa powder (omitting the two tablespoons of flour) and add a quarter cup of white chocolate chips. Speaking of white chocolate, you can also use it to replace the milk chocolate chips and add a quarter cup of cranberries in, too. The combination of the sweet, creamy bursts of white chocolate and tart berries is irresistible! Love nuts? Add chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans.
How do I store leftovers?
Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep well for up to 3 days. For longer storage, flash-freeze them on a baking tray for 1 hour, then transfer to a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
Assuming a few cookies are still around to serve after coming out of the oven, serve them with, well, anything: a tall glass of milk, coffee, tea, a Delicious Vanilla Milkshake, and even a glass of your favorite red wine! After all, these beauties appeal to all ages, across the ages!
You can also crumble them into our Condensed Milk Ice Cream or Oat Milk Ice Cream.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whip the butter with an electric mixer until light and airy, approximately 20 seconds.
- Add both sugars to the fluffy butter and beat until pale, approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla into the mix and beat just until they’re fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Gently combine the dry ingredients with the butter mixture, beating just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, ensuring they're evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough into 12 even balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye out for the edges to just start turning golden.
- After baking, let the cookies sit on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, approximately 30 minutes.
Leave a Comment