Chocolate Chip Cookies

The first weekend in November has just made haste and we are steadily making our way in to winter. It’s been so mild the last two months and much of the countryside is still laden with foliage now a kaleidoscopic display of oranges, reds and browns. The weatherman promises a change in temperature as well as temperament. Will we get the Siberian snow storms the media love to taunt us with? It seems impossible with everything that surrounds us still so rich and vibrant.

Yesterday evening was November the 5th which is officially Guy Fawkes night. This is traditionally a time when bonfires are lit and fire crackers set off. Friends, family and local communities get together to enjoy the festivities eating sausage baps laden with fried onions while indulging in some local cider. My family attended a neighborhood gathering. This meant the children were playmates from the village school and they all had great fun lighting sparklers and playing games in the dark.

There was a buffet of hot and cold food to be enjoyed but the best part had to be the array of homemade sweet things that included candy apples, maple syrup fudge, sticky toffee pudding cake, marshmallows to cook on the bonfire and these chocolate chip cookies.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups and 2 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture and mix by hand until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon shape the dough to the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes depending on size (or until the tops are a light golden brown). If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

This post was inspired by Sweet As Sugar Cookies and is a part of the Secret Recipe Club. The blog showcases a total of 14 different Chocolate Chip recipes and I chose this one because it’s chewy and soft. I will definitely be trying some more!