Chocolate Chip Cookies Two Ways

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening (1/2 a stick)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 1/4 – 2/12 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2+ cups chocolate chips

Cookie Dough

• In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder)
• Mix butter, sugars, and shortening together until light and fluffy
• Add vanilla extract, eggs, and mix well
• Slowly incorporate bowl of dry ingredients
• Once dough is thoroughly mixed add in desired amount of chocolate chips. I like to use around 2 cups and a leave a few tablespoons off to the side to place on top.

Cookies

• Scoop cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on the edges and light golden brown in the center
• Makes ~24 cookies

Cookie Cake

• Scoop cookie dough onto a pizza pan lined with parchment paper
• Spread out dough so that it’s about 1/2 inch away from the border of the pan
• Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown

Cookie Decorating

• Buttercream frosting:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tbs vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt
• Mix frosting ingredients together
• Separate out into bowls and mix with the food coloring of your choice
• Scoop frosting into piping bags (or a ziplock bag with the one of the corners cut off) and decorate away!

Other Tips

• The more flour you use the cake-ier your cookies will be. If you like them this way use 2 1/2 cups of flour. If you prefer a gooier / chewier cookie go with less flour – closer to 2 1/4 cups of flour.
• If your dough is too sticky and difficult to scoop, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill. It will be a lot easier to work with when you take it out.
• Oven temperatures vary, if you notice the bottoms / edges of your cookies are getting too brown try turning down the temperature to 350 degrees.
• In the past I always made chocolate chip cookies using all butter. My friend’s mom is an amazing baker and shared this recipe with me, what makes these cookies stand out is the awesome, chewy texture which comes from using Crisco (*gasps*). Cookies aren’t healthy to begin with but if you prefer to use all butter to avoid the Crisco, the texture may be compromised.
• If you don’t want to commit to a full batch of cookies, put half the dough in a ziplock bag and freeze. You can take it out of the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight for fresh baked cookies in a flash the next day.

Bake up and enjoy!