Finally, a day dedicated to America’s favorite cookie. The chocolate chip cookie shares August 4th with the International Clouded Leopard and the National Coast Guard.
The classic chocolate chip cookie recipe combines butter, eggs, brown and white sugar, salt (don’t skip the salt) flour, a teaspoon of baking soda and semi-sweet and/or milk chocolate chips.
I made a note on my calendar and phoned a friend to get me ready for this chocolate chip day.
If my friend, C is reading this I hope my cookies are worthy of her first initial name drop here at Everyday Edits.
THE HISTORY OF TOLL HOUSE AT MY HOUSE
The story behind my Nestle Toll House recipe obsession began ten years. Every Christmas my neighbor and friend dropped off cookie trays for our kids to find on the doorstep.
My kids would fight and race their way to the front door to get her cookie platter.
And they always reached for her chocolate chip cookies. And then they would take one bite and ask me why my cookies do not taste like Miss Cici’s.
Over the years, I asked for details details like butter versus shortening (she uses both). She was patient with her responses to my questions like why does the flour, salt and baking soda need to wait in line? Why can’t the dry ingredients just jump in after the butter?
We follow the same Nestle Toll House cookie recipe so how can two identical recipes look nothing alike despite the same ingredients?
It was a Dateline Cookie mystery or a chemistry equation.
This past March, with the big national cookie day just months from the big day I set up the ingredients, cleaned the flour-coated Kitchenaid and asked my friend to show me step by step how she tackles the Nestle Toll House recipe. Specifically, why her cookies look like little mountain ranges, with a touch of browning while mine cookies looked like a deflated balloon on a baking sheet?
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE IN HONOR OF THE DAY
RECIPE NOTES
With my stick of unsalted butter softened (for 40 minutes), my 1/2 cup of Crisco shortening and my eggs at room temperature we went to work.
You guys I made mistakes at every step despite having this recipe memorized since 1995.
I knew it by heart. Or did I?
Cream butter (and/or shortening) and add eggs one at a time.
Ideally, crack the eggs into a separate bowl before they hit the mixing bowl.
I nailed the 3/4 cup sugar portion of the Nestle Tollhouse recipe but failed the brown sugar portion of the recipe.
Apparently, I needed to pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup (like packing your suitcase for the Southwest overhead space). And the biggest secret I was about to uncover?
The all-purpose flour.
I was new to this process, but the key is to add the flour in small doses and tap the cup to release any air pockets.
I used a tablespoon to fill the two and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour.
Mix but don’t overmix.
Apparently leaving the mixer on while I move the clothes from the washer to the dryer is too much mixing.
Finally, I made it to the final event. The addition of the 2 cups of Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet chocolate chips.
I think morsels is the proper word. I also like to mix it up with 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 semi-sweet.
Let the chips fall where they may.
Over the course of a few weeks, I made batches of chocolate chip cookie dough. Perfecting my packed brown sugar and the air in the flour! The family loved my cookies and I love my friend for helping me with my baking skills!
You can view, print or pin the Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe here.
FINAL COOKIE THOUGHTS
You can read about Ruth Wakefield who created the classic Nestle Toll House cookie here.
Please consider supporting these Made-in the USA brands for your baking needs.
Here is a list of where to get a free chocolate chip cookie today.
Thank you for stopping by today! Please pin if you are a pinner! And enjoy National Cookie Day. Here are the places around the country that will be handing out free cookies.
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