Know what I want you to do? I want you to forget everything you ever thought you knew about making chocolate chip cookies. Because oh my incredible bite of heaven, have I ever found the most fabulous recipe you will ever try, in your entire life. Please make these cookies. Make them today, right now.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (or the ones that will change your life)
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
*Edited to add... I've made these cookies a few more times this week for various activities that required the bringing of sweets. Each time, I kept thinking that something was missing. And something was. They need salt. The last time I made them, I added 1/2 teaspoon, and it did wonderful things for the flavor of the cookie.
Preheat your oven for 350 degrees.
If you think about it, get out your butter and eggs an hour before you want to make cookies. If you can't wait that long, soften your butter, but don't let it melt. I soften mine by sticking it in the microwave, still wrapped in it's original paper for about 45 seconds at 30% power. Depending on your microwave, it might take a little longer, or a little less. Be cautious at first though, till you figure out what works for you. And please oh please, for all that is good and holy, use real butter for this recipe. Pretty please?
Beat your softened butter with your sugars until well mixed, then add your eggs (also better if room temperature, but don't stress if they aren't. Your cookies will still be good.) your vanilla (yes, an entire tablespoon, and again, if you can swing it, use real vanilla too) and your vanilla pudding mix. Just pour the powder straight into your dough and blend it in. Don't make the pudding. Don't add extra moisture. Just trust this step. Powder pudding mix into the bowl. Then mix. In return, your cookie dough will love you forever and ever.
Add your baking soda to your flour, mixing it in, then add the dry ingredients slowly to your dough, mixing it all until it is too delicious for you to keep your hands away. Don't over mix though - just enough to blend it all together. (If you over beat your dough, it's quite possible your cookies might look like pancakes.) Fold in your chocolate chips, taste the batter, and then die a little. But wait! Don't eat too much, because seriously people, these cookies are so fabulous baked, you don't want to get so full you can't enjoy them.
Scoop your dough in heaping spoonfuls onto your cookie sheet. (Extra fabulous baking happens if you're using a Silpat. Silpats make good cookies. Silpats make people who don't think they can make good cookies, make good cookies. They are also incredible for making toffee. They will make your kitchen and your cookies happy. They cost 16.99 on Amazon. They don't sell them in Target or Walmart but probably sell them at any specialty kitchen store. But they'll be more expensive then they are on Amazon. Amen.)
Bake your cookies for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
When they come out of the oven, be patient. Let them sit for a few minutes, looking delicious and wonderful, untouched. This is important. They need to sit and finish baking on the hot cookie sheet and get nice and set before you try to move them to a cooling rack. When you can lift the cookie off the pan by the corner, and it doesn't fall apart, then it's ready to move.
Transfer to a cooling rack, or just eat them. Right there, standing in your kitchen, with a glass of milk ready to go. Make sure you save a couple though. You'll wake up the morning after you make them thinking about them and will absolutely want one (or seven) for breakfast.
