"Best" Chocolate Chip Cookies

Anyone who has ever made chocolate chip cookies claims to have the best recipe. Some people swear by their Great Aunt's secret family concoction that has been passed down for generations, while others will always follow the recipe on the back of the Toll House package. Finally, some home-cooks will search for hours on allrecipes.com, scanning the web for the most promising cookie photograph.

But when it comes down to it, the "best" chocolate chip cookies come from the pros. Baking aficionado Jacques Torres to be specific, via the Martha Stewart website if we want to get technical.

The recipe below yields crunchy, chunky chocolate chip cookies that are not overly sweet. I sprinkled large-grain sanding sugar on the raw dough before popping them into the oven because I was feeling snazzy.

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the Martha Stewart Website

1 pound unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour

3 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 pounds Jacques Torres House (60 percent cocoa) Chocolate or other best-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.

Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.