NYT chocolate chip cookies - simplified

Here's our slightly simplified version of the famous New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie.  Here's what we changed:

• The original recipe calls for a mixture of cake flour and bread flour, but we found all-purpose flour yielded a cookie that is much the same.
• We reduced the creaming time from 5 minutes to 2-3 minutes (lower end for SideSwipe). After three minutes of beating in a stand mixer, you're not really achieving anything. If you are using a hand mixer (or by hand!), you may need that full 5 minutes.
• We also like a size where you have a little more of the crispy edges - not the 5-inch cookies the recipe has you make. Our way you can have two cookies without feeling too guilty!
• We didn't sprinkle with sea salt for the cookies in the photos, but we really recommend a sprinkle if you like sweet and salty as much as we do!

For best flavor, you really need to refrigerate the dough balls. They recommend 36 and we've heard 36-48 hours, but we usually put it in the fridge overnight and that's sufficient. Who can wait two days to bake cookies?

These cookies are best right after they are baked. We suggest that you bake only what you can eat in the next day or two. They lose their luster a bit by the second day. You can freeze the dough balls and have cookies in half an hour any time.

ingredients & equipment

• 2 eggs
• 2-1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
• 1-1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3-1/2 cups less 2 Tablespoons of flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 20 ounces of dark chocolate chips-divided (we use Ghiradelli 60% cacao - 2 x 10-oz bags)
• sea salt (optional)
• Large small-screen sieve or sifter

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instructions

1. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.
2. Coarsely chop about 1 cup of chocolate chips or substitute about 8 ounces of chips with chopped chocolate from a semisweet or dark chocolate bar.
3. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until very light and fluffy, 2 minutes with a SideSwipe; 3 minutes with a flat beater.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the mixer, a little bit at a time. Use slowest speed when adding flour mixture to prevent "the flour cloud facial."
6. Add chopped chocolate and chips;  mix on low to medium speed until mixed throughout the dough.
7. Scoop and roll into 1.5 Tablespoon balls to make 3-inch cookies.  Place closely on a tray and refrigerate overnight  or up to two days.
8. Preheat oven to 350F, with rack in center position.
9. Bake until golden on the edges, between 8 and 12 minutes. We baked ours about 11 minutes for a slightly crispy edge. These keep for about 2 days in a sealed container and freeze well for about 2 months. But nothing beats the taste warm out of the oven!