I never met a chocolate chip cookie that I didn’t like, but I have to say that these Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies are my all-time favorite. Even if you prefer soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, you’ll find it hard to resist these buttery cookies filled with yummy chocolate chips and toasted pecans.
Most chocolate chip cookie recipes contain the same basic ingredients – butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, salt, baking soda and chocolate chips. What makes one chocolate chip cookie differ from another one are the following: (1) type and proportion of ingredients; (2) addition of nuts; (3) manner in which dough is put together; and (4) how the cookies are baked.
Type and proportion of ingredients
Let’s talk about two of the main ingredients – flour and sugar. Did you know that not all flours are created equal? What distinguishes one all-purpose flour one from another is the protein content. The higher the protein content, the more likely gluten will form when the flour is mixed with the other ingredients. As the gluten forms, the cookies will become less crisp.
Therefore, if you want a light and crispy cookie, reach for an all-purpose flour like Gold Medal Blue as opposed to King Arthur. Also, the proportion of flour to butter impacts the thickness and ultimate crispiness of the cookie. Recipes like this one that produce thin and crispy cookies tend to have less flour relative to the amount of butter than those that produce plump cookies.
Light brown sugar and dark brown sugar can generally be used interchangeably in cookie recipes. Both are made by adding molasses to refined white sugar. In addition, both add moisture to your baked goods and a slight acidity that reacts with baking soda to enhance the rise. However, dark brown sugar causes the cookie to be slightly darker and taste more caramelly.
Addition of nuts
With rare exceptions, I always add toasted pecans to my cookie recipes. I love the taste of pecans and the toasting brings out an incredible depth of flavor lacking in the raw nut. It is super easy to toast pecans. Just spread them on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated 350° F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Putting the dough together
Most cookie recipes call for beating the butter with the sugars until creamy, beating in the eggs until everything is creamy, and then beating in/adding the remaining ingredients. The more the butter and sugars are beaten, the more air that is incorporated into the final dough. This will result in a plumper cookie that somewhat deflates as it cools. Also, once the flour is added, the more the dough is worked the more gluten that is formed and the tougher the cookie. Therefore, if you what a thin, crisp cookie, minimize the amount of air that is beaten into the dough and the amount of glutenthat is formed.
How the cookies are baked
I always use an ice cream scoop to partition out the cookie dough. By using an ice cream scoop, I am able to produce cookies that are uniform and size and shape. Once I have scooped out the dough, I take each piece and roll it into a ball. Then, I take my damp hand and flatten the dough to about 3/8-inch. The reason that I flatten these cookies is that I want them to be thin. Flattening them gives a head start to the thin and crispy finale.
And now the recipe.
Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie
Makes 6 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1cupsalted butter,softened (See Tip 1)
3/4cup(5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4cup(5.63 ounces) firmly packed dark brown sugar
2large eggs, room temperature
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonbaking soda
2cups(10 ounces) all-purpose flour(See Tip 2)
2cupssemisweet chocolate chips
1cuptoasted pecan pieces(See Tip 3)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with silicon or parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed just until they come together, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed just until the mixture is combined, about 30 seconds. Add the salt and baking soda; beat on medium just until combined, about 30 seconds. (See Tip 4)
Add the flour; beat on low just until combined, about 30 seconds. Fold in the chocolate chips and toasted pecans. Do not over mix the dough.
Drop the cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets using a small ice cream scoop. Flatten cookie dough to about 3/8-inch thick with a wet hand. (See Tip 5)
Bake in preheated 350° F oven for 12 minutes or until the edges and centers are brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: 6 dozen cookies.
Chula's HelpfulTips
Tip 1: I used salted butter for this recipe. You could also use unsalted butter. However, with unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt by 1/4 teaspoon fora total of 1 1/4 teaspoons.
Tip 2: I used Gold Medal bleached all-purpose flour (blue) because of its low protein content. The low protein content minimizes the gluten formation and results in a lighter and crispier cookie.
Tip 3: I always add toasted pecans because I love them in cookies. However, youcould definitely omit them or use walnuts in place of the pecans. To toast the pecans, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 8 or 9 minutes until lightly toasted. Watch carefully.
Tip 4: Most recipes call for whiskingthe salt and baking sodawith the flour. I consistentlybeat them into the "wet" ingredients right before I add the flour. This way, I know that they are thoroughly incorporated into the dough.
Tip 5: My smallest ice cream scoop is about 1 1/8-inch in diameter. If you don't have an ice cream scoop, then you can use a tablespoon to drop the cookies. To ensure round cookies, roll the dropped dough into a ball with damp hands. Then, flatten the dough with a dampened hand to about 3/8 of an inch.
Chula King is the blogger behind PudgeFactor.com.
