When I was first married, I couldn’t bake a cookie to save my life. I couldn’t figure out why they’d always come out too hard…or charred. The blasted little lumps of sugar and butter never seemed to look the same as the appetizing picture in the cook book. Well, six hundred dozen batches later, I finally learned that being precise and following directions to a tee when baking is crucial. If you want the cookie to come out like the pic, you must do exactly what the recipe tells you to do! I am pleased to say that I have perfected a chocolate chip cookie recipe of my own that, I assure you, if you follow the instructions carefully, are precise with measurements and use the best ingredients you can find, you will reap a reward of the most soft, chewy and chocolatey cookies. Just don’t try to multi task like I did the other day, and forget to set the oven timer -crucial! If the planets align, and they come out like I think they should, you’ll have to just let Santa share the carrots with the reindeer. All the cookies will disappear!

2/3 C unsalted butter (10 tbsp), melted
2 C lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp hot water
2  3/4 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and hot water. Mix well (add sugar and eggs together first before the hot water and butter, to prevent the eggs from scrambling). Stir in remaining ingredients, adding the chocolate chips last. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down firmly to flatten  quite a bit. This recipe makes about 3 pans of cookies. Feel free to store extra dough in airtight container and place in fridge for your next craving. It will last many weeks that way. Make sure you bring dough to room temp before baking. Do not put cookies in oven until it is fully preheated. Bake exactly 9 minutes (all ovens vary, so pay attention – you may need to adjust accordingly). They will look a bit underdone, but remove from oven anyway. Let cool on pan 10-15 min, and then transfer to wire rack to complete cooling process. You must sneak at least one cookie hot off the press (the perks of being the baker 😉 )

*Food Pictures by: Rebecca O’hara Photography