Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think I've found my forever favorite chocolate chip cookie.  And I've probably tried dozens of recipes over the years.  I love the soft and chewy "Toll-house" style cookies you can get fresh at certain fast food places, but not all the additives.  So I don't get them very often.  Well, thanks to a bake sale this weekend where I signed up to bring lots of goodies, I tried a new cookie adaptation.  And I LOVE it!  Soft, chewy and tender and awesomely delicious with brown butter.  Hubby just came home and tried one.  He nodded and ate, and nodded, and mmmhmmm'd and made happy sounds.  ☺  These would probably make an excellent bar cookie as well.  Speaking of bake sales, have you ever seen this way to protect cupcakes while on display?

Worked pretty well!  They are just the little punch cups available at party, dollar, and grocery stores.  I used a pair of salad tongs to place the cupcakes flat in the cups without messing up the icing.  I also made a batch of Iced Oatmeal Cookies as well as the following chocolate chippers.  Plan ahead, this dough needs to chill overnight.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

¾ cup butter

¾ cup light brown muscovado sugar, lightly packed

½ cup evaporated cane sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp fine grain sea salt

1/16 tsp cinnamon

2¼ cups light spelt flour

¾ cup mini chocolate chips (Use a full cup for regular sized chips)

In a pot over medium-low heat, cook and stir the butter until it turns golden brown.  (It will foam twice and brown during the second foam which will be clear bubbles vs white foam.)  Watch it carefully to prevent burning.  Transfer it to a medium mixing bowl to cool slightly.  Add sugars and mix until there are no lumps of brown sugar.  Add vanilla and mix.  Beat in egg and yolk with a wooden spoon until the batter has lightened somewhat.  Mix together the flour, soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl to combine.  Add to the batter in a few additions and gently stir in with the wooden spoon.  Stir/fold in the chocolate chips.  

Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next day, preheat the oven to just under 350ºF and form the dough into 2 tbsp balls of dough.  You can roll them with your hands, the dough will be pretty firm.  Place about three inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are just golden brown and the center is no longer shiny.  Don't overbake.  Cool for a minute on the sheet before removing to a rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.