Mixed Chip Cookies

8.29.2011

Mixed Chip Cookies

Last night, Chef has a sweets craving.

He requested chewy peanut butter chip cookies.

It sounds like a challenge but all you need to do to make chewy cookies is to have the right balance of sugar.

Sugars “liquify” in the oven because of the heat and helps baked goods retain moisture. It has an important role in the amount of chew a cookie has. Granulated (white) sugar is a ~~purified~~ refined sugar and the way it is chemically structured, it makes the cookies crispy because it doesn’t retain as much moisture as some of the other kinds of sugars out there on the market. Brown sugars are often less refined and it contains molasses (although some companies just add molasses to refined white sugar and call it a day) , which is pretty much the only thing that sets it apart from granulated sugar. Light brown sugars have about 3.5% molasses while dark brown sugar is usually around 6.5% molasses. To put it roughly, the molasses really helps with the moisture retention so the more sugar you have in a baked good, the more chew you have. That being said, do not forget that the amount of sugar you put in is not infinite: too much sugar and your cookies will taste like rotten sugar cube chunks. It’s all about balance!

For three dozen cookies:

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. dark brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. peanut butter chips
3/4 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the butter [I always use unsalted] in a microwave safe bowl and heat it for a minute in the microwave until the butter is mostly melted, but slightly lumpy. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set this aside. In another mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugars (pack that shit!) and white sugar. Mix thoroughly. Add in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until the sugary mixture looks like a big bowl of caramel syrup.

Mix in the sifted ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop the cookie dough 1 tablespoon at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets at least 1” apart.