Chip off the old block

Chocolate chip cookies. They are often left out of conversations about American cuisine but have truly become just as American as apple pie and baseball. Americans like food that is simple and can be eaten on the go, and if a cookie doesn't fulfill this definition than I don't know what does.

In my family, we have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that everyone swears by. The cookies are super-moist and flavorful. Even though I like the recipe, I prefer my cookies slightly chewier. At the risk of being ex-communicated by my family, I have experimented with various recipes over the years.

The most recent recipe I tried was out of one of my favorite magazines: Saveur. Actually, the recipe is originally from the recently revamped New York Times Cookbook, and Saveur featured a small excerpt on the cookbook that was originally published in 1961.

Anyways, back to the cookies. Called "Flat and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies", these sweets were more like the cookies I crave. With shaved bittersweet chocolate instead of chocolate chips and the addition of ground walnuts, I feel like these are the old-school version of the classic recipe.

I used half bittersweet and half semi-sweet chocolate, because that's all I had on hand, and reduced the sugar. They turned out deliciously. I recommend that if you, too, are searching for the best chocolate chip cookie recipes that you give this one a try.

The Essential New York Times Cookbook's "Flat and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies"

2 cups flour
1 scant Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups sugar
16 Tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. finely shaved bittersweet chocolate
8 oz. finely ground walnuts

• Whisk flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl beat sugars and butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time; beat in vanilla. Add reserved flour mixture, chocolate and nuts; mixed until just combined; chill.
• Heat oven 325 degrees. Divide dough into 1-Tbsp. portions; roll into balls, and transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets spaced 3" apart, and flatten. Bake until set, about 15 minutes.

Hint- Listen to the part about 3" spaces between the cookies. These things get big.