Mmmm...cookies!

I'll help you make the perfect chocolate chip cookies by avoiding a few common pitfalls. Baking is one of my greatest joys, especially baking cookies. However, like most things I have cooked or baked, it was a process of trial and error figuring out how to make things turn out the way I want.

When a recipe isn't turning out the way you wish it would, start simple. Your library has an amazing selection of cookbooks, including some of the most incredible cookie cookbooks ever printed. If you are looking for a good cookie recipe check out our Cooking neighborhood using the catalog, browsing the shelves or check our my cookie cookbook recommendations.

Checking out a cookbook (or many) is a great way to test drive recipes without committing to buying a whole cookbook. I will  admit that the recipe I usually base my chocolate chip cookies off of is the Nestle Tollhouse recipe. I've tried many different recipes from many different cookbooks, but this is the recipe I keep coming back to because it just seems to work so well.

The secret that has brought me the most success in my cookie baking: if you don't like crispy cookies (I don't), don't bake your cookies as long as you think you should. I was taught to wait until your cookies are brown before you take them out of the oven. If you do that, your cookies will always be crispy if not downright burnt. Your cookies will continue to bake even after you pull them out of the oven. I usually pull them out when the very edges are just starting to turn brown, even thought the middle is still really soft, then let them sit out of the oven on the pan for 2 minutes before moving them to the cooling rack. This is essential to allow them to finish baking, but not over bake. I do this with almost all of my cookies, not just the chocolate chip ones.

Also, remember to let your butter soften before you use it in your chocolate chip cookies. If you don't, the ingredients don't mix properly and they don't turn out very well. (Trust me: I know.) Now I hate waiting for butter to soften because it seems to take so long. One trick is to put your butter on a plate in the microwave on 10 second bursts at 50% power and flip the side it is resting on as you go. It usually takes me three bursts to get the butter softened properly, but it means that my butter mixes into the cookies correctly and my cookies turn out just right.

What are your tips for making perfect chocolate chip cookies?