CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES - THICK AND CHEWY (MAKES 18)

This recipe was taken from "The New Best Recipe" cookbook, and can be found on page 777.  I don't bake.  It is too cumbersome for me, and I typically don't have a sweet tooth.  So, this was an especially nice treat for Christmas. 

These cookies turned out great, even for a non-baker.  Let's just say...Santa isn't going to skip our house this year!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Chocolate and milk

Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower - middle positions and heat the oven to 325°.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.  

Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined.  Stir in the chips to taste.

Roll a scant ¼ c. of the dough into a ball.  Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves.  Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at the base, and again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough's uneven surface.  Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 ½" apart.

Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, the outer edges start to harden, and the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time.  Cool the cookies on the sheets.  Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a wide metal spatula.