Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour ((380 grams) Be sure to measure your flour correctly. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh your flour, or use the spoon and level method if you don’t have a scale. Improper measuring can cause cakey cookies, or cookies that don’t spread. I also highly recommend using bleached all-purpose flour, as unbleached flour may cause dry, crumbly cookies.)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter ((227 grams) , at cool room temperature (67°F))
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar ((100 grams))
• 1 1/4 cups Light Brown Sugar ((247 grams) lightly packed)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 2 Large Eggs (at room temperature)
• 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips ((340 grams))

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until combined, scraping the bowl down as needed. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. If time permits, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours but no more than 72 hours. This allows the dough to “marinate” and makes the cookies thicker, chewier, and more flavorful. Let dough sit at room temperature just until it is soft enough to scoop.
5. Divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls using a large cookie scoop and drop onto prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Although I prefer cookies fresh from the oven, these can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. See post for storage tips.