Cheap Cravings and Budget Baking: 1 dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Chocolate Chip cookies! My favorites are the really soft ones that are slightly golden on the edges.

Most recipes I've encountered make a really big batch of cookies, usually around 2 and a half dozens. While you can freeze the extras, I've decided to share my recipe for 1 dozen cookies, just incase that's all the ingredients one might have on hand.

Now bear in mind that my recipe produces cookies which are more on the soft and cakey side but they can slightly crisp up the longer you leave it in the oven.

*If you want crispier cookies, substitute half the quantity of butter with vegetable shortening and replace half the quantity of brown sugar with white granulated sugar.

My recipe is as follows:

- 6 tbsp softened butter
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup of AP flour
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1/3 heaping cup of chocolate chips

Method:

Using a spatula or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until creamy.

Add in egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until the egg yolk is fully incorporated.

Next add in your flour, baking soda and chocolate chips. Fold with spatula just until mixture starts coming together, it should still be a bit crumbly. Add in the vinegar or lemon juice and then fold until all the flour disappears.
*Make sure to not over mix as that will cause your cookies to toughen. No one likes a tough cookie 🍪

Set mixture in the fridge while you preheat your oven at 350 degrees F and line a baking pan with wax or parchment paper.

Once your oven is preheated, use a tablespoon and a teaspoon to divide cookie dough into 12 rounds. I like the drop cookie method as it makes the end results more homemade and rustic.
*I also like strategically adding extra chocolate chips on top so everyone knows the flavor (I am looking at you Oatmeal Raisin cookies 👀)

Set a timer for exactly 10 minutes and bake until the edges start becoming slightly golden but the center is still soft. For crispier edges, you can bake for approximately 13 minutes.

Leave cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. I like to place my cookies in the fridge for about an hour before I eat them. I find that resting the cookies help the texture to develop and the ingredients to settle.