Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

NOTE: These oversized cookies are chewy and thick, like many of the chocolate chip cookies sold in gourmet shops and cookie stores. They rely on melted butter and an extra yolk to keep their texture soft. These cookies are best served warm from the oven but will retain their texture even when cooled. To ensure the proper texture, cool the cookies on the cookie sheet. Makes about 18 large cookies.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-and lower-middle positions. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.

3. Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips to taste.

4. Roll scant ¹/₄ cup dough into ball (see figure 4). Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves (see figure 5). Rotate halves ninety degrees (see figure 6) and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth dough's uneven surface (see figure 7). Place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving 2¹/₂ inches between each ball.

5. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets. When cooled, peel cookies from parchment.

VARIATIONS:

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut and Toasted Almonds

Add 1¹/₂ cups sweetened dried coconut and 1 cup toasted sliced almonds along with chips.

Black and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Substitute ¹/₂ cup white chocolate chips for ¹/₂ cup of semisweet chips. Add 1 cup chopped pecans with chips.