After decades of noodling around with chocolate chip cookie recipes, this is my final version. It’s very, very good. When it comes to outstanding c2 cookies with a hint of caramelized flavor, superior ingredients and resting the dough are what makes the difference.
For something similar, low-carbers can make these little guys.
A2’s Incredible C2 Cookies
Makes about 28 huge or 48 regular-sized cookies
3 cups unbleached pastry flour (Best: freshly-ground)
(Alternative: 1 cup AP flour – 2 Tablespoons AP flour + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot = 1 cup cake flour)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted Kerrygold or Plugra butter at room temp
(If all you have is salted butter, use only 3/4 tsp. salt)
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large organic eggs
1-3/4 to 2 teaspoons Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla
2-1/2 to 3 cups Callebaut semisweet chocolate chips (16 ounces) (tiny chunks of 70%+ cacao dark chocolate is incredible, too)
Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt. Beat together butter and sugars–for minutes–with mixer at high speed. Pale and fluffy is what’s wanted… over-mixing is a good thing. Beat eggs by hand; add to butter mixture. Beat with mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla. A couple of lavish pinches of cinnamon here will add a very subtle low note to the caramel flavors in the finished cookies. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until–just–blended. Add chips by hand (big spoon or careful hand-scrunching).
Refrigerate the dough for at least 48 hours before baking (this is crucial, because it allows caramelized flavors to develop).
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350-375°F. (Use 350 for smaller cookies, 375 for monsters) Grease sheets well or use parchment.
Scoop 1/8 or 1/4 cup batter for each cookie (depending on whether you want average or huge 4″ cookies), arranging mounds 3 inches apart, on baking sheets.
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, 8 to 14 minutes (less cooking time = chewier cookies.). Watch closely, these babies burn easily. Transfer to a rack to cool. If making more cookies, always use a cooled baking sheet. Or…extra dough freezes well…
Additions:
Cut the chocolate chips down to 12 ounces and add 1/2—3/4 cup of shredded coconut, and 1/2—3/4 cup chopped nuts…or dried cranberries…or dried cherries (incredible).