cook like james

There are hundreds of recipes for chocolate chip cookies – thin, thick, crisp, chewy, with nuts and without – but this happens to be one of my favorites. Years ago my friend Scott took me to Kathleen’s Bake Shop in Southampton, now known as Tate’s, where I became a fan of the thin and crisp chocolate chip cookie. You can find her recipe for chocolate chip cookies in Kathleen’s Bakeshop Cookbook, but this one from Alton Brown really delivers the thin and crisp chocolate chip that I love.

Download My Favorite Thin Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Combine the egg, milk, and vanilla and bring to room temperature in another bowl.
2. Cream the butter in the mixer’s work bowl, starting on low speed to soften the butter. Add the sugars. Increase the speed, and cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed and add the egg mixture slowly. Increase the speed and mix until well combined.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, and nuts if using. Using a #20 ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Cookies will be dark brown. Rotate the baking sheet for more even browning.
4. Remove the cookies from the pans immediately. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.