The Famous NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

This cookie recipe has been making its way around the blogosphere, and when I saw it a couple of weeks ago, I knew I had to make it. The recipe comes from the NY Times, also home of the famous no-knead bread recipe we loved so much. The most difficult step of baking these cookies is the waiting period of 24 - 36 hours, during which the dough is chilled in order to deepen and heighten the flavors. I could only manage to wait about 26 hours before I had to break out the dough...but it seemed like long enough to do the trick! These were some of the richest cookies I have ever eaten, which also may have had something to do with the 60% cacao chips I used. My husband didn't really care for the sprinkle of sea salt on top, but I really enjoyed it; we agreed to disagree. Definitely not your run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookies, but they make a special treat if you are willing to take that extra time to wait.

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Draney Photography

NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from The New York Times, David Leite, and Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. (8 ½ oz.) cake flour (I used A/P as I didn't have any cake flour on hand)
1 2/3 cups (8 ½ oz.) bread flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. coarse salt, such as kosher
2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups; 10 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (10 oz.) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (8 oz.) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, preferably about 60% cacao content (I used Ghirardelli)
Sea salt, such as Maldon

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well; then set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low; then add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to soften slightly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (about the size of golf balls) onto the baking sheet, sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Almond-Glazed Sugar Cookies

Photo by Nicholas Draney Photography

I recently discovered that I am very, very fond of almond. I have been tagging every recipe I come across that has anything almond-related in the ingredients list. When I came across this recipe for almond sugar cookies, I had to make them that very night because they sounded so good. And they didn't disappoint; these cookies are the perfect blend of good old-fashioned sugar cookie with a great hint of almond flavor. I found this recipe by way of The Spicy Skillet, where she switched up the almond with lemon...these sound delicious as well!

These sugar cookies were really easy to make, as there was no rolling/cutting out/refrigerating of the dough needed. I got about 2 dozen cookies out of this recipe, and I'm going to have to give some away before I eat them all myself! There is nothing like a really great sugar cookie, and this one is definitely a winner.

Almond-Glazed Sugar Cookies
Your Home-Based Mom

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix butter, sugar and extract in a large bowl. Beat until creamed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Beat 1 to 2 more minutes. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and flatten balls to 1/4 inch thickness with the bottom of a buttered glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 400 for 7-9 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minute. Move to a wire rack. Stir together glaze ingredients with a wire whisk. Decorate cooled cookies with glaze and sliced almonds (optional).

Glaze: 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract, 4-5 tsp. milk.