Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, a la Chloe

But first, let me give you the backstory of my cookie baking career.

Maybe four years ago, I decided that I wanted to make cookies. Mom helped me choose which cookbook to find a recipe from, and explained a few things before leaving me in the kitchen surrounded with ingredients. I decided upon an oatmeal chocolate chip recipe, followed it to a T, and everyone enjoyed it.

For a while, I followed the recipe exactly, until, one fateful day, we ran out of one of the ingredients. Mom quickly thought of a solution, and from then on, my recipe-tweaking days began.

One time, we were on vacation, and Mom had specifically asked me to print out the recipe so that I could make cookies. Unfortunately, that was the one thing I forgot to pack. So, I had to figure it out from memory and general deduction. Success! The cookies turned out fine.

Over the past year at least, I've not followed any recipe, and only one batch was dubbed a flop. While it was still edible, only a few people seemed to enjoy them.

Earlier this year, I decided to try my hand at making double chocolate chip cookies for a change. So I made up a recipe as I went, and oh my goodness, they were delish! Mom told me to write down the exact measurements of everything I used, so that I could make it again. Well, I did, but I like to think of recipes as more guidelines than actual rules (points to whoever got that reference). 

I've made them multiple times since, only looking at the piece of paper to make sure I had all the ingredients. Then today, I had to make extra for a thing on Thursday, but I really didn't want to figure out doubling the recipe (I doubt our mixer could handle it, it barely managed this recipe as it was, plus that would be an insane amount of butter). 

So now I present thee: "Double Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0"

1 1/2 cups butter, soft

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

2 cups cane sugar

4 eggs

2 1/5 cups chocolate chips

*optional* 1 cup craisins (if not, I suggest more chocolate chips, you can never have too many of those)

5 1/4 cups flour

First, soften the butter, either in the microwave (careful it doesn't melt, I recommend 25-30 seconds, but it depends on your microwave), or you can let it sit out for a bit. 

Put the butter in the mixer, and mix until the butter looks similar to frosting.

Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa powder, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.

Add the eggs, and mix until the dough looks similar to brownie batter.

Add the chocolate chips, and if you wish, craisins. Mix again.

Add the flour (I find it generally works best if the mixer is on low when you add the flour). 

The dough should stick to itself and not to the sides of the mixer, however, it should still be a little wet, almost like bread dough, or biscuit dough. If it is not wet enough to your standards, you can try pouring in a bit of milk. If it is still too wet, feel free to add more flour. It's really just a use your judgement situation. 

Once the dough is to your liking, use a scoop (it can be a spoon, or a cookie scoop, whichever you prefer, though I do not recommend rolling them out and using a cookie cutter) and place each cookie on a cookie sheet. I usually space them about an inch apart. Sometimes they spread out, sometimes they don't. Bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 15 minutes. They will still be soft when you take them out, that just means they are full of gooey deliciousness. If you don't like them gooey, you can keep them in the oven for a few extra minutes. 

With my cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, maybe, I don't know), the recipe made 68 cookies.   

Enjoy!