Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

What do you do when you like thick, crunchy, crumbly cookies but someone you care about likes soft, thin, chewy ones?  Well, OK, I guess you could make both.  But I think this time we'll just make him what he wants.  Of course, that's not necessarily easy since what he wants is basically a homemade Entenmann's chocolate chip cookie.

You know the ones I mean - the small ones that stay soft and chewy for as long as you have them?  Hmm.  I guess that's not a fair test since their life span around him tends to be short.  Texture aside, though, they have a very particular flavor and I had no idea what it was.  Off I went to play around with recipes...to make a cookie I don't like.  Just kidding.  Sort of.

Fortunately I was able to quickly identify the elusive flavor as belonging to molasses plus a mixture of white and brown sugars.  All in all, it's actually a pretty easy cookie to make and while I'm not giving up crunchy shortbread, I will say that my homemade version tastes way better than whatever is in that box.  So, if soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies are your thing, this recipe is totally for you.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup white sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon molasses
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Add the eggs, white sugar and brown sugar to a bowl and, using a stand or hand mixer, beat together for a couple of minutes until the eggs become paler in color.  Add the vanilla, molasses and butter and continue beating for another minute until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and beat together until fully incorporated.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a 1 oz. scoop, drop the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and be sure to leave a few inches between the cookies because they will spread.  Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 7 minutes.  When you take them out they will look raw and puffed up.  Resist the urge to put them back in the oven.  Set them aside to cool for at least an hour before attempting to move them.  During that time, they will flatten out and firm up enough to handle but they will remain soft, even after a couple of days.  Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.