Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crispy on the outside… Soft and fluffy on the inside.

So perfect I couldn’t stop myself from having three huge cookies in one sitting….

I love that these cookies give you the perfect texture – a light crispy texture on the outside with that nice subtle crunch and that wonderful soft and fluffy inside. It’s almost like having a chocolate chip cookie baked into bread form, with the hard exterior and a soft interior.

Levain, a popular bakery in New York City, has perfected this the cookie and created the perfect balance. Since I was craving for my own without making the trek out of my apartment, I made my own with a recipe that was adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs, cold and lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips 60% cocoa

Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
• With a paddle attachment for standing mixer, on medium speed, beat the cubed butter until it is all clumped together (one lump of butter).
• Add the white and dark brown sugar to the butter and the mixer will start to break up.
• Once the sugar and butter are incorporated, add in the egg mixture in two separate batches.
• When the eggs are fully incorporated, add the vanilla extract.
• At this point, the mixture will be a little lumpy.
• Add in the flour mixture and continue to mix until the flour is just incorporated.
• Add in chocolate chips.
• Fold the chocolate chips into the dough mixture.
• On a clean surface, shape the dough into a rectangle and cut into 12 even pieces (do not shape the dough after it is cut).
• Place the dough on the foil/parchment paper and place in freezer for at least 20 minutes (up to overnight).
• When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375F degrees and place them on a parchment paper or silicon baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes.

First look fresh out of the oven…

I love breaking these cookies into halves and spreading nutella on them. Another extra layer of richness and decadence – spoil yourself and enjoy every bite.