Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's desert time! These are the best homemade chocolate chip cookies using milk chocolate chips rather than the semi-sweet chips. 

Most of the ingredients I used were organic and found at Traders Joe-when you can always use the most organic and/or natural ingredients! 

This recipe yields a serving size of 4 dozen cookies with 3 inch cookies. You can make the dough and freeze what you do not make! Form the dough into balls and place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze than place the balls of the dough in a plastic bag, seal, and freeze. To bake after frozen follow directions below. You may need to add a few additional minutes if the cookies are not browned to satisfaction. Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar

- 3/4 cup finely packed brown sugar

- 2 large eggs

- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

- Optional: 1 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. In one bowl mix together the butter, the white and brown sugars and beat until fluffy. 

3. Beat in the eggs one egg at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well until incorporated.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. 

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat until incorporated. 

6. Add the chocolate chips (and nuts-optional) half way through mixing. 

Tip: If you find the dough very soft, cover and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes)

7. For large cookies, use about a 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop or with two spoons drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool on wire rack.