Giant Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Monday morning felt calm.  Perhaps it was because the sun was shining again after a week of rain and the wind was finally silent.  Sparrows chirped quietly in the trees happy for the warmth of the sun, but still sleepy from the long cool night.  Maybe it was because I didn’t need to take my daughter to school for the next week(winter break) and I was able to sleep in a tiny bit longer.

Calm was needed.  The last month has been turbulent.  We were blessed and challenged greatly in this short month.  The serenity of the morning seemed to be a little gift from the universe and so I made a cup of tea and headed to the patio.  I sat, wrapped in a light blanket, in the warm morning sun, sipping my tea for what seemed like an hour.

It didn’t take long before my mind wandered to food.  Specifically comfort food.  What could I whip up to make this day even better?  What is my most favorite  comforting indulgence?  My first thought was ice cream.  I love ice cream more than any other food.  But I was really in the mood for warm.  Something like cookies.  My favorite, everyone’s favorite, giant chewy chocolate chip cookies.

The recipe originates from Alton Brown’s Chocolate Chip Cookie #10 from his I’m Just Here for More Food Cookbook.  After making his recipe a few times I began to change a couple of things.  His recipe used 1 cup of butter, I used 1/2 cup.  He uses 3/4 cup of each sugar and I use a little more brown sugar then white.  Things like that.  My version is less greasy and has a richer flavor from the brown sugar.  They are chewy and stay soft for days if kept in a zip top bag.  I love them, everyone I give them to loves them, and I know you will love them.

I made you another printable recipe card which you can find at the very end of this post.

Giant Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup of dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 375F.  In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  In a larger bowl whisk the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.

2.  With a wooden spoon stir half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until all the flour is absorbed.  Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

3.  Scoop large spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  About 6 cookies to a sheet.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and the center is set.  Let them cool on the pan for a minute then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes 12 large cookies.

(Click on recipe card to save and print.  It is designed to be printed on 5×7 photo paper or regular printer paper and stuck in a card file, on the fridge or given to a friend.)