jacques torres chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookies!! A classic loved by all. Yet there are so many variations out there– which recipe is the best?! Do you like your cookies thick and soft, almost dough-like? What about super thin and crispy? My perfect chocolate chip cookies is relatively thin, with crispy browned edges and becomes softer and chewier as you go towards the center. The whole cookie has only lots of melty chocolate chunks in it yet has very noticeable rich toffee flavors. It’s not a bland cookie. There’s depth to the flavors.

How can you achieve such a cookie?! In this post, I’ll walk you through some of the key points of COOKIE SCIENCE so you can also learn how to take any cookie recipe and make it your own!

Jacques Torres has created one of the most famous cookie recipes ever and it’s famous for good reason! This recipe, at first glance, seems like too much fuss! Two different types of flours? Weird measurements? Two cups minus two tablespoons?! Is it worth it? Spoiler alert– HELL YEAH. Sure, there are other (simpler) recipes out there (including my recipe for flat and chewy chocolate chip cookies) that might take less time to make. So I’m not saying that you should make these if you’re completely pressed for time. But if you’ve got a little bit of extra time on your hands and you’re looking to impress [your taste buds], then give this recipe a try because it will change your thoughts on how homemade cookies SHOULD taste!!

First of all, before we move on, if you don’t have a kitchen scale, YOU SHOULD GET ONE! They’re inexpensive and save you a lot of dishwashing! Trust me! More importantly, weighing your ingredients, especially flour, can make a huge difference in how your baked goods turn out!

Second, it is VITAL that you rest your cookie dough, plastic wrapped in your fridge, AT LEAST OVERNIGHT. Even better if you let it rest for 24-36 hours. I know it seems like a long time, but the pros far outweigh the cons! By resting your dough in the fridge, you allow time for the flavors to marry and get richer and richer. The dough also has time to relax, yielding a much more tender and soft cookie. And if nothing else, dividing the work into two separate days makes clean up and baking easier every time! If I can ever prep a recipe the day before (or even a few days before), I ALWAYS will! My kitchen stays clean, and I stay stress-free!

This recipe calls for almost 4 cups of flour. While these cookies are amazing, I wanted to make the smallest tweaks to make it my own. Don’t get mad at me! It’s literally like a single change! I use a total of only 3 cups of flour and I use chopped chocolate baking bars instead of the baking discs that this recipe calls for. This is simply because I always have access to good quality baking bars, but not baking discs.

With just a little less flour, I found my cookies spread a little more, had crispier edges, and a softer center. I’ve only tweaked it because this makes my perfect cookie. I’m sure Mr. Torres would be cool with it! But I’ve left the original recipe below, with notes of my tweaks in case you want to try either!

This is an easy recipe, but you must follow the instructions to a t! Good luck and happy baking!

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Jaques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies:

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
*** I used a only 3 cups, 1 1/2 cups each (380 g total, 190 g each) of total flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, coarse
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds 60% dark chocolate baking discs
*** I used the same amount of chopped chocolate bars
Sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer) with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together at medium speed for about 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, add eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla. At the lowest speed, add the flour mixture and only mix until just combined and a little bit of flour still remains. Add chocolate discs or chunks and mix for a few seconds, until just incorporated. DO NOT OVER MIX.

Wrap with plastic wrap, with the wrap pressed against the dough and refrigerate for 24-36 hours, up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, take the bowl of dough out so it won’t be too cold and hard. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop out 3.5 oz (big golfball sized) mounds of dough onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt on top and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the tops are just set. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

ENJOY!!

 

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