The first cookie for their trip - Chewy Chocolate Chip

I asked Jen and Steve if they would like me to make them anything for their long driving trip back to MN... Steve voted for chocolate chip cookies while Jen wanted Oatmeal Raisin. She conceded to the chocolate chip cookies, but I decided to go ahead and make them a batch of each. I asked Steve if he had a preference to the texture of the cookies and he asked for a chewy kind.

I don't have enough time to talk about both cookies today, so we'll start with the chocolate chip and I'll post the oatmeal raisin tomorrow. Both of the recipes were "new" ones to us, so I was going on name alone that these Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies would actually be chewy.

These cookies baked up soft and are chewy, but they are not cake-like nor do they have any crispness to them. Dark brown sugar and corn syrup add to their chewiness, and a bit of shortening cut with the butter ensures that they don't go too flat as they bake. I was going to use chunks of bittersweet chocolate, but Steve mentioned that he really likes peanut butter, so I went ahead and used some of those swirled chocolate and peanut butter chips instead. I only used about 2 cups as I actually like some cookie with my chocolate, but use the full amount if you like a lot of chips in your cookies. You may scoff at the addition of vinegar to the dough, but the flavor does not transfer into the cookies - it tones the sweetness down just a touch and helps react with the baking soda.

Recipes

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies