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ISO: The Ultimate Choc. Chip & PB Cookies


Kim Shook

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Every year I try a new recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies at Christmas. Help me, please!!! Here's what I am looking for:

Chocolate Chips: chewy, buttery, strong chocolate flavor, NOT cakey, with a bit of a snap to the crust

Peanut Butter: VERY chewy - almost, but not quite, dry; EXTREMELY strong peanut butter flavor; I want a big, thick cookie without any cakeyness

Thanks so much! Kim

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I just made some last week that were large (1/3 -1/2 c batter each), and used oats. I also added mixed nuts.

They turned out pretty good once I got the baking time just right.

Would this recipe be of interest to you?

One thing about peanut butter cookies is that the brand of peanut butter makes a LOT of difference in both the performance of the recipe and the flavor. "Cooks Illustrated" did a comp test of various brands a few years ago that would be worth finding and reading.

SB :raz:

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Jiff is a good one for cookies. My favorite is the CI chocochip cookie recipe, adding 1/2C peanut butter and subbing pb chips for chocochips.

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

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What the hell is wrong with the basic Toll House recipe on back of the Nestle chocolate chips package? Its a tried and true formulation. Just use that recipe, and use good chocolate (dark chocolate is key), and add pecans, toffee, etc.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=18476

As to peanut butter cookies -- If you have a natural foods store and can use natural peanut butter, or can go to a Whole Foods and grind some up fresh from roasted peanuts, its going to make a big difference.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

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Personally I don't like chocolate chip cookies, but my husband adores them, so I bake them for him. These are the ones he swears are the best ever, and they're just as you describe. Make them as usual, bake at 350 for about 11 minutes.

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

9 oz semisweet chocolate chips

9 oz chopped pecans

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What the hell is wrong with the basic Toll House recipe on back of the Nestle chocolate chips package? Its a tried and true formulation. Just use that recipe, and use good chocolate (dark chocolate is key), and add pecans, toffee, etc.

God that's funny! :laugh: And true.

Hey though there was a thread recently about where to cut corners and several someones recommended the off brand choco chops--I just tested that out when I was making a big batch of ganache--for moi, I did not find that the store brand/off brand was as good as the Nestle and Hershey's. The premium store brand was 50 cents extra so I didn't even try those--I know those are dynamite--all that to say, yes, I agree good chocolate is key.

But you can toast oatmeal and get a great result to replace nuts if you want. Old fashioned or steel cut are best not the instant kind.

Random chocolate chip thoughts...

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You've got to try epicurious' recipe for PB cookies. They're flourless and the best PB cookie I've ever had. I've doubled the ingredients and added an extra egg, which makes it more chewy. You can add chocolate chips - it's great either way.

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups (packed) brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix, roll into balls and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

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You've got to try epicurious' recipe for PB cookies.  They're flourless and the best PB cookie I've ever had.  I've doubled the ingredients and added an extra egg, which makes it more chewy.  You can add chocolate chips - it's great either way.

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups (packed) brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix, roll into balls and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

I've tried these and I thought they were way too sweet. Especially if you use a commerical peanut butter.

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Every year I try a new recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies at Christmas.  Help me, please!!!  Here's what I am looking for:

Chocolate Chips:  chewy, buttery, strong chocolate flavor, NOT cakey, with a bit of a snap to the crust

Peanut Butter: VERY chewy - almost, but not quite, dry; EXTREMELY strong peanut butter flavor; I want a big, thick cookie without any cakeyness

Thanks so much!  Kim

Here's one of the chocolate chip cookie threads you might find helpful. There are also choc chip cookie recipes in RecipeGullet. If you use the search engine a bit you'll probably find more threads on the topic.

My favorite chocolate chip cookie is from King Arthur's "Baker's Companion" cookbook (ironically, I prefer it to the ones in their new "Cookie Companion" book). It's chewy in the middle, crisp around the edges. My other favorite is Pam Anderson's (of CI fame) in one of her books. Here's the link to Pam's:

http://www.usaweekend.com/01_issues/010819...9cooksmart.html

My favorite peanut butter cookie is from the KA Cookie book I mentioned above. It's chewy but not fudgy (I'm not a fan of the no-bake kind). Here's a link to the recipe (renamed "Essential PB Cookie" in their book):

http://kingarthurflour.com/recipes/getrecipe.php?id=R682

A Pam Anderson book has my other PB favorite. (Neither versions use "natural" PB btw). Hmm, I'm seeing a trend here ...

ETA: links.

Edited by Steven Blaski (log)
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I've posted this before, but this is my favourite peanut butter cookie recipe. Lots of peanut butter here...I like to bake from frozen, so there's less spreading.

1 1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 min. until centers are still soft.

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What the hell is wrong with the basic Toll House recipe on back of the Nestle chocolate chips package? Its a tried and true formulation. Just use that recipe, and use good chocolate (dark chocolate is key), and add pecans, toffee, etc.

This recipe is not chewy at all, which is what Kim was looking for in her chocolate chip cookies! So, what the hell is wrong with asking for a different recipe?!?

"Many people believe the names of In 'n Out and Steak 'n Shake perfectly describe the contrast in bedroom techniques between the coast and the heartland." ~Roger Ebert

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Have you tried Jeffrey Steingarten's recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies?

He takes the Nestle Toll house Recipe and tweaks it.

He calls it the best Chocolate Chip Cookie So Far....he's still working on it.

2 C AP Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 lb Unsalted Butter

3/4 C Light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 C Dark Brown Sugar, firmly Packed

3/4 C granulated white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp water

1 egg

1 1/2 C chopped chocolate (your favourite)

375F oven

Bake approx 10 mins.

Let me know...as I have never tried this recipe and only make cookies at Christmas.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So - here's the update. I spent the weekend on Peanut Butter cookies. I tried about three different recipes and finally came up with my own version that is the best I can do for now. I did try the flourless ones and the flavor was incredible, but I didn't care for the texture - they turned out fudgy and very, very flat. I wanted big, fat cookies. After I get Thanksgiving out of the way, I will be starting to experiment with chocolate chip cookies. I will check back in then! Thanks for all the information, everyone!

Here is my recipe:

Almost the Best Peanut Butter Cookies

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Kim,

What brand of peanut butter did you use? I have seen recipes from various sources that specify, or at least warn about using natural vs. "regular". I guess it can make a substantial difference in some formulas.

I agree with you that it's surprisingly difficult to get both the texture and the flavor right with PB cookies. I'm looking forward to trying your recipe.

Thanks, Fern

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I used Jif peanut butter. Every recipe I have seen cautions against using 'natural' peanut butter - so I went with that. Besides, to be honest, my peanut butter taste buds stopped developing at age 6 - I actually prefer the Jifs, Peter Pans and Skippys!

I think that the peanut butter chips do add a nice little burst of flavor.

I just had another cooky. Taste is still really, really good, but they are awfully crunchy today. Crap. So what do I do? Add another egg? Why is this particular cooky so much trouble??? I make incredible ginger cookies with Sugar Babies that are perfectly chewy. They have molassas in them. Should I add molassas or some corn syrup? Help! Kim

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FWIW:

these are my absolute favorite choc. chip cookies:

they are tender and crispy, very buttery- not at all like Toll House

4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheets

3 cups packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 cups excellent quality chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment; set aside. Cream butter until smooth; add sugars, and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Into a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Slowly beat dry ingredients into butter mixture. Fold in chips.

2. Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons dough per cookie onto baking sheets; space dough 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and allow to cool on baking racks.

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What the hell is wrong with the basic Toll House recipe on back of the Nestle chocolate chips package? Its a tried and true formulation. Just use that recipe, and use good chocolate (dark chocolate is key), and add pecans, toffee, etc.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=18476

Thank you! I have tried a zillion recipes, but none has ever been as popular or delicious as this one. Ever.

"We had dry martinis; great wing-shaped glasses of perfumed fire, tangy as the early morning air." - Elaine Dundy, The Dud Avocado

Queenie Takes Manhattan

eG Foodblogs: 2006 - 2007

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I tend to combine two or more recipes together. So, my favorite chocolate chip cookie is a combination of the Toll House Recipe and Alton Brown's recipe. I do not melt the butter first. And, I reduced the amount of flour and omitted the milk.

The ingredients are:

1 c butter

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

2 c ap flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Very soft and chewy. Best eaten same day. However, for the cafe I wanted a cookie that would stay soft longer. So, I added back the 1/4 c flour and added 2 tbsp corn syrup (instead of milk).

The ingredients are:

1 c butter

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 c ap flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c chocolate chips

These stay chewy for longer. I also scoop these into balls, freeze and then bag them. So I usually bake them from frozen and they do fine.

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M. Lucia - I will try the second egg. The reason I am using bread flour is that that is what Alton Brown uses as opposed to AP in his chewy chocolate chip cookies. I think that I did cook some of them too long. I tasted them again last night and some of them were less brown and more chewy! So I will try these again after Thanksgiving.

Shaloop - I have printed out your chewier ingredients and will try when I test the chocolate chips.

Thanks to all! Kim

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  • 2 months later...

Just wanted to let anyone who remembers my search for chewy peanut butter cookies that I took the last bag of cookies (made and frozen mid November) for Super Bowl Sunday and they were fantastic. Still chewy and had lots of peanut butter flavor. I was really thrilled. I have found my peanut butter cooky!!!

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