The quest for the perfect cookie. 🧵

Yes, I know I chose this, but I have married an American. And oh gosh do I love him. He, however, does not love British cookies. Biscuits, yes. (Don’t expect to see that packet of Hobnobs back!) But apparently our cookies are rubbish; which I can testify to - I was given a fresh baked cookie by his neighbour and it was possibly the best thing I’ve ever eaten. So, I have to learn to make cookies. 1/

Attempt 1. I have gone straight in with America’s Test Kitchen. My love affair with Cook’s Illustrated recipes has lasted longer than my relationship with him, and it seems fitting to begin with the hallowed vinyl flooring of a great American institution. Alas, I cancelled my Scribd subscription, and now I no longer have access to the culinary laboratory’s experimental notes. Unalas, the internet exists! Here they are, and here’s the recipe: https://pixelatedcrumb.com/posts/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies-from-cooks-illustrated/
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies from Cook’s Illustrated

The browned butter in these chewy chocolate chip cookies adds a deep richness, giving the cookies an almost butterscotchy flavor. They are, in a word, perfect.

Review: They take AGES to make. Browning butter and then whipping the mixture takes yonks. Not something you can whip up for last-minute visitors. I was able to wash up and hang the laundry out while waiting for the mixture to settle! 🤣 We both think browning butter is an unnecessary step. They’re too big for me, but he says US-size! Would make again, for the novelty of brown butter, but I think dark brown sugar will be smoky enough. Needs dark choc chips. Nice chewy middle and crispy edge. 7/10

@Annaspanner hi, American here, and this is fiddly bullshit. Here is the correct answer based on effort to result ratio:

Use the basic tollhouse recipe (https://www.nestle.com/stories/timeless-discovery-toll-house-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe) making the following changes:

1a) use salted butter and/or use a big teaspoon of salt (not leveled)
1b) optional: use 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. This will make them less cakey
2) rest the dough for at least two hours, if not overnight, in the fridge

A timeless discovery

More than 80 years later, Nestlé Toll House's Original Chocolate Chip Cookies are a true classic and a go-to recipe for all occasions.

Nestlé Global
@Jakeline Hi! Thank you! My researches suggested the Tollhouse recipe and it was the next on my list to try! This is ace, thanks so much!
@Annaspanner you’re so welcome! Oh, and the recipe might not say it, but the standard is for semi-sweet chocolate (about 60% cacao is nice). The cookie is much too sweet if the chocolate is sweet.
@Jakeline I could only get milk chocolate ones - they definitely weren’t right. Not that it was awful. A warm cookie is not to be sniffed at!!