The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Katie and I recently spent an afternoon making a yummy mess in the beautiful kitchen at JW House, a hospital hospitality house for families of patients staying at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Clara, California.

JW was a a good friend of ours - a typical teenage boy with a brilliant smile, mad drumming skills, and that "Oh geez..." sense of humor only 16 year old boys can have. And believe me when I say he gave some of the best hugs in the world.

But JW was more than a stellar hugger. He was also a visionary - a little guy with a huge dream of creating a place where families like his could rest and rejuvenate while patients like him received treatment at Kaiser. With a whole lot of hope, help, and heart, JW made his dream come true.


Today, the guests and volunteers at JW House consider it their "home away from home". And what says "home" better than the ultimate cookie classic? When it comes to comfort food, there's almost nothing I crave more than a warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie. The recipe below doesn't disappoint. If I'd have to compare, I'd say that biting into one of these is almost, almost but not quite, as good as one of JW's famous hugs.

Oh, and Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially our DaddyBob. We might be far from home, but this recipe is our gift to you. Consider yourself hugged times two!


-Becky

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes via Katie's awesome co-worker E.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts


1. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

3. Stir in the chocolate chunks, chips, and nuts by hand. Cover and refrigerate dough for 30-40 minutes.

4. When ready to bake cookies, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

5. Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: The cookies in these photos were made with light brown sugar. We usually make them with dark brown sugar, but these were still amazing!