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"  We are major chocolate chip cookie lovers here the GH Test Kitchen. And we each have our own opinions: texture, size, chips vs. chunks, salt, how brown is too brown \u2014 you get the idea. Discussions get heated. So in my role as peacemaker (and major cookie maven), I have worked up two recipes to give the team what they want: one cookie for our crisp fans, who dream of the butterscotchy, airy crunch of a cookie like Tate&amp;#039;s, and one for those in the opposite end, who crave cookies that have just a bit of crisp at the edges and becomes almost doughy in the center (remember those super-sized Levain discs that that won the Throwdown with Bobby Flay?). I, unashamedly, like both styles. Before we get to the recipes, a little background and a few thanks first. A while back The New York Times inspired a flurry of baking when David Leite wrote a piece that revealed that City Bakery, a popular bakery in New York City, chills their cookie dough for 36 hours before baking. We read the story and, of course, tested the idea, agreed, and adopted the method. The cookie&amp;#039;s flavor gets a more pronounced butterscotch note and it improves texture, as any gluten development relaxes. Food scientist Shirley Corriher says this ripening lets the dough absorb the liquid from the eggs and &amp;quot;produces a drier and firmer dough, which bakes to a better consistency.&amp;quot; Besides, who doesn&amp;#039;t like to have extra cookie dough on hand in the fridge or freezer? Along with chilling the dough, there are a few more must-do&amp;#039;s every cookie baker should know:  Soften: Butter (and eggs) at room temperature will beat fluffier, incorporate sugar more easily, and make your flour easier to fold in. If you must microwave the butter, do it in 5-second intervals \u2014 you don&amp;#039;t want to melt it, or it will change the texture of your cookies. Salt: Use unsalted butter and add the salt separately; amounts of salt in butter vary brand to brand, and you&amp;#039;ll have better control. Salt brings out flavors and without it your cookies will taste flat. The amounts I recommend may be greater than in classic recipes, but it brings up the butterscotch notes. Size: There&amp;#039;s a reason those chewy cookies are often so big. Made with between 4 and 6 ounces of dough per cookie, it is possible for the edges to crisp and the center to remain soft and chewy. Scoop: For even baking, use a cookie scoop to measure. These come in every size from a teaspoon to a 1/2 cup. You can use a spoon or a measuring cup, but if you bake often, the trigger-handled scoop is a reasonable investment. I use OXO&amp;#039;s. Line: I like to line sheets with baking parchment. It prevents any sticking, allows you to get your next pan ready as one pan bakes, and makes for easy cleanup. Bake: For best results, bake one sheet at a time. If you must bake two sheets, rotate sheets back to front and top to bottom racks halfway through baking. Cool: Cooling on the pan, which is usually a no-no because it can steam baked goods, is actually the perfect way to keep your cookies chewy (Note: you must bake them for less time for this to work properly). If you like a crisp cookie, remove from pans after a few minutes as noted.  Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Prep Time: 25 minutes + at least 24 hours chilling Cook Time: 18 minutes per batch Makes: 16 4 1/2-inch cookies Ingredients: 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup cornstarch 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1 1/4 tsp. salt 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 1 pound bittersweet chocolate chunks 2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted (optional) 1. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. 2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Transfer dough to zip-seal plastic bag and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. For longer storage, shape cookies as below and freeze flat in zip-seal bag for up to a month. Thaw 20 minutes before baking). 3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 4. Scoop six 4-ounce (scant 1/2 cup) portions chilled dough onto baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between cookies. Bake until golden brown at edges but still very soft in center (Cookies will look very underbaked), 18 (for chewy) to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 5 minutes. For more crisp edges, transfer cookies from pan to cool on wire rack. For chewiest cookies, cool completely on pan. Repeat, or store remaining dough. NOTE: If you&amp;#039;d like a smaller cookie, scoop chilled dough by tablespoon-sized scoop (leveled) onto prepared sheets and bake 8 to 9 minutes. Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies (an homage to Tate&amp;#039;s) Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 8 to 9 minutes per batch Makes: 6 dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies Ingredients: 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 Tbsp. water 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 large egg 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 12 oz.) 1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. 2. In another large bowl fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the water and vanilla. Add the egg and beat until combined. Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Transfer dough to zip-seal plastic bag and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. (For longer storage, shape cookies as below and freeze flat in zip-seal bag for up to a month. Thaw 10 minutes before baking.) 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Using a tablespoon-sized scoop, scoop chilled dough (leveled) 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet. 4. Bake 12 minutes or until the edges and centers are brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. TELL US: What&amp;#039;s your favorite style of chocolate chip cookie? "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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