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Monday, June 20, 2011

King Arthur Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies


Next up: King Arthur Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found out about these cookies while reading Reeni's blog, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice. Like her, I realized I didn't have any chocolate chip cookie posts on my blog (well, maybe just one) and that's what started this whole CCC madness. You can bet that there will definitely be chocolate chip cookie posts now. A LOT of them.


I've always heard that you can't go wrong with King Arthur Flour recipes, so this one also made it onto my list. It uses brown sugar and white sugar in equal amounts and it also includes vinegar as one of the ingredients. I've heard of adding hot water to a cookie recipe, but vinegar? I'm sure there's some sort of chemical reaction going on with that. Maybe it works with the baking soda and keeps the cookies from getting flat. I didn't know, but I was going to find out.

The only change I made to the recipe was to use all unsalted butter instead of a butter-shortening combo. I also didn't add the optional almond extract.

I actually made this recipe twice. The first time, I baked the dough right after making it. I got wonderfully thick chewy cookies with nice crisp edges and a crunchy outer shell. But, the cookies were pale and lacked flavor. The second time, I chilled the dough for 48 hours as KAF recommends then baked them and voila!


This time, the cookies took on a darker caramel colored look as they baked. The resulting taste was also completely different from the unchilled cookies. These were so much richer with delicious buttery undertones. I'm not sure how they would have been after only 24 hours, but I can assure you that the 48 hour chilling time is definitely worth the wait.

By the way, I also let some dough chill for 72 hours just to see if it would make the cookies even better. What I found was that less is more in this case. The 72-hour cookies actually lost the potent caramel flavor that was so prominent in the 48-hour cookies. I'm not sure why this happened. All I can tell you is that you will get the best results if you go with a 48-hour chill time, no more and no less.


King Arthur Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (from King Arthur Flour)

2/3 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 c. white sugar
1 c. unsalted butter, right from the fridge, or at room temperature
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. vinegar, cider or white (I used white)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 large egg
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, salt, vanilla, vinegar, and baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg, again beating until smooth. Mix in the flour, then the chips.

Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4" balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them on all sides; they'll spread.

Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, till their edges are chestnut brown and their tops are light golden brown, almost blonde. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pan till they've set enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Great CCC Quest of 2011:
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
BAKED Chocolate Chip Cookies
Allrecipes' Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Joanne Chang's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sugar Plum's Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
America's Test Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is linked to:
My Meatless Mondays
Sweet Tooth Friday
So Sweet Sunday
Sweet Indulgences Sunday
Hearth n' Soul Hop
Made it on Monday
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
Whisking Wednesday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
CCC Round-Up
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25 comments:

  1. Barbara BakesJune 20, 2011 at 2:12 AM

    I'm a King Arthur Flour recipe lover too. It looks like a perfect cookie!

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  2. FallonJune 20, 2011 at 3:50 AM

    Those look delicious!!! I love when you can see the chocolate chips and the ridges from going down after cooling off.

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  3. Liz That Skinny Chick Can BakeJune 20, 2011 at 3:53 AM

    Wow, I've chilled overnight, but never 48 hours...great tip! And such willpower, Lisa!! These look wonderful...can't wait to hear which one wins :)

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  4. ChayaJune 20, 2011 at 4:52 AM

    Thanks for linking this to My Meatless Mondays. Since, this is a favorite cookie, I love seeing it on the linky.

    Yours came out beautifully.

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  5. Lisa @ Flour Me With LoveJune 20, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    I love how you baked them at so many different times just to see what works out the best...thank you for taking the guesswork out of it for everyone else! I love KAF recipes too :)

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  6. RachelJune 20, 2011 at 5:55 AM

    Mmmm..these look the best yet! I love KAF :)

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  7. KristenJune 20, 2011 at 7:04 AM

    I am always looking for another cc cookie recipe. I just don't think a person can have enough! I will really have to plan ahead to get the 48 hour chilling time in there. Usually I have a hungry family waiting by the oven door as soon as I get out the mixer!

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  8. Pretend ChefJune 20, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    I think this CCC recipe is one that you did the most research on. Haha! I have not tried any King Arthur recipes but I hear rave reviews. These look delicious. Yummy! Happy to hear your family enjoyed the Carrots Saucily Spiced. We really liked them too.

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  9. kitchen flavoursJune 20, 2011 at 7:45 AM

    You cookies looks delightful! I'm a fan of King Arthurs' site, love their recipes, at least the ones that I've tried! Thanks for the tips on these cookies! Have a lovely week!

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  10. Dorothy @ Crazy for CrustJune 20, 2011 at 8:13 AM

    These look really good. I have to ask: what are you doing with all your cookies? Me? I'd just eat them all. :)

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  11. AnonymousJune 20, 2011 at 10:26 AM

    Thanks so much for the careful observations! It sure is very informative for the rest of us! i love your CCC journey!

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  12. Chels/Catz in the KitchenJune 20, 2011 at 12:33 PM

    I've heard great thing about King Arthur flour recipes too, but I've never tried any of them yet. I may have to start with this one :)

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  13. JeanieJune 20, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    Hi Lisa. You've inspired me. For Father's Day, I did three different chocolate chip cookie recipes, to see what we liked best. Have a look if you're interested. I pitted the NY Times recipe and a variation thereof against my husband's recipe.http://tastycheapskate.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-york-times-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

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  14. Kim McCallieJune 20, 2011 at 2:37 PM

    Your chocolate chip cookies keep looking better and better each week. They look absolutely delicious. What a fun challenge you've created for yourself! Thanks for sharing on A Well-Seasoned Life's Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

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  15. Tracy's Living CookbookJune 21, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    I am finding it so interesting how many of your CCC recipes say to chill the dough.... I will have to try that to my favorite CCC recipes and experiment with that a bit. These look killer.

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  16. AnonymousJune 22, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    This looks so good. Thanks for doing all the testing for us! I've always chilled my dough but never for that long. I will try that next time. Please come over to my link party and share some of your tasty recipes with us at Cast Party Wednesday. http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com
    Thanks,
    I hope to see you there!

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  17. Amanda @ Little House on the CornerJune 22, 2011 at 10:52 AM

    I've been looking for a great chocolate chip recipe to make as a gift for a friend. I was thinking of giving them a "log" of the dough so they can bake fresh cookies whenever they want. This one looks perfect, since it needs to be refrigerated anyway!

    Also, do you think it makes a big difference whether you use King Arthur flour or a different brand?

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  18. Melynda@Scratch Made Food!June 22, 2011 at 8:39 PM

    You are on a quest of the sweetest kind, thanks for sharing with the Hearth n Soul!

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  19. UnknownJune 23, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    Thanks for linking up to Made it on Monday!

    With all these CCC I am sure you will find the BEST one.

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  20. Allison @ Alli 'n SonJune 23, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    Have I told you yet how much I love chocolate chip cookies. And King Arthur Flour recipes. These sound great.

    Thanks for linking up with Sweet Tooth Friday!

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  21. Miz HelenJune 24, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    Hi Lisa,
    I love these cookies, and I have used King Arthur Flour for years. Great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and I look forward to seeing you again real soon.
    Have a great week end!
    Miz Helen

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  22. HaleyLeannJune 29, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    All of these cookie recipes you've been posting has made me gain 15#s just looking at them! These look delicious as well. Thanks for linking up on Recipes I Can't Wait to Try!!!

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  23. Baking RibbonsJune 30, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    Interesting that KA only uses one egg. All others use two when there is a cup of butter. Again, a lot less salt too. I'm surprised they were not too sweet. I must not have the sweet tooth I thought I had! Cookies look delish.

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  24. UnknownAugust 11, 2015 at 3:41 AM

    Like your way of seeing things! Still you may do some things to expand on it. Thanks for sharing with us!

    marble manufacturer in india

    ReplyDelete
  25. Marlene DetierroDecember 7, 2015 at 10:36 PM

    I love baking cookies! It was something I did when I was younger and visited my grandmother on the weekends. We used to make macaroons together while we'd listen to her old albums from the 40's. Every time I bake cookies, it always brings me back to those days.

    Marlene
    Reverse Mortgage Broker Kirkland

    ReplyDelete