The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe I have found. Real butter really makes a difference. Also using vanilla extract instead of "vanilla flavoring" helps. You can freeze them after they are baked or freeze the dough prior to baking. My favorite method of freezing the dough is using a stainless steel scoop and placing scoops of dough onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet and flash freezing. When they are frozen, pop them off and into a freezer Ziploc bag. Label and date contents. You could also drop them by teaspoonfuls onto the wax paper. Or another method I have done is shape the dough into a log and freeze it. Then you can slice off cookies when you're ready to bake. To bake you may have to add a couple minutes, but you still bake them at the same 350º Fahrenheit temperature.

Freezing unbaked cookies helps you not eat the whole batch and gives you the opportunity to bake fresh cookies in the future for neighbors or someone in need (even if that someone is YOU). I usually will bake half the dough and freeze the rest since this is a large batch. This is the best option for us, because let's face it, I'm not above eating frozen cookies. :)

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: 60

1 ½ cups real butter (3 cubes)
2 cups brown sugar
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
5 ¼ cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

2. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

3. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture.

4. Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake 11-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.

Optional: You can add chopped walnuts or substitute the chocolate chips for m&m's or Kissables.