These are, hands down, the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten. And, judging by the number of requests I’ve had for the recipe, I get the feeling I’m not alone.
I started baking at a young age…. my earliest memories of baking begin when I was about age 10. It was one of the many things my mother taught me to do. I found I could almost never go wrong if I brought freshly baked goodies to a gathering. And, freshly baked cookies and cinnamon rolls are how I snagged the world’s best husband! True story.
My mom actually deserves most of the credit for this recipe since it is the one she baked for us kids when we grew up.
I have made one modification to her original recipe: I add a lot more vanilla. But, the 2-tablespoon amount is really a guesstimate…. I’m really bad about measuring. I always just dump from the bottle.
4½ c all purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 c shortening (i.e. Crisco® or palm shortening; leaf lard will also work, if you have access to the unprocessed stuff. Aside from that, no substitutes!)
1½ c sugar
1½ c brown sugar
4 eggs
2 T vanilla
2 c (12-oz. bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars until well blended and smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Stir until well blended and no flour is visible.
Mix in chocolate chips.
Drop by teaspoons full onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven when cookies are only BARELY browned around the edges. Cool for 1-2 minutes on baking sheet before removing to clean counter top (not cooling racks) to finish cooling.
(Click here for a PDF version of this recipe.)
Enjoy warm from the oven, room temp up to two days OR freeze for longer term freshness. They are very yummy to eat straight from the freezer. And when they are thawed, they taste as good as fresh.
Click here for a gluten-free version of this recipe that tastes just as good!
