thomas keller's chocolate chip cookies

i'm about six months early on my chocolate chip cookie craving. but lately, with all this talk of turkey and pumpkins and everything else leading to turkey day, my mind has been on one single thing: a perfectly crunchy, chewy chocolate chip cookie.

and since i've yet to ever make the same chocolate chip cookie twice, i scrolled through my google reader, realized i have twenty-two (yes, almost two dozen) different chocolate chip cookie recipes bookmarked. i was debating between a couple when i realized - wait! - doesn't thomas keller have a recipe in ad hoc at home? yes, he certainly does.

so while jason and i cooked dinner together, i whipped up a batch of these cookies. one big difference - and huge advantage when you're a last minute chocolate chip cookie baker like me - from alton brown's and cook's illustrated's cookies and these is the time. alton needs at least two hours to chill and cook's wants all that whisking & waiting, whisking & waiting. sometimes i just want to eat a cookie. now. in about thirty minutes these cookies were mine!

these cookies have a nice crunchy edge and super chewy middle. but what sets them apart from others is the teaspoon of kosher salt. the salt is perfect, not too salty, but just enough to offset all the sweetness. these are my new "i need a cookie now!" cookie.

thomas keller's chocolate chip cookies

adapted from ad hoc at home

30 minutes, makes about 24 three inch cookies

the original recipe calls for 5 ounces each of 55% and 70-72% chocolate. since i made these on the fly and don't normally have chocolate that dark in my pantry, i substituted with hershey's special dark chocolate and semi sweet chips. while i'm sure thomas keller would disagree, feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/3 cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

5 ounces (1 1/4 cups) dark chocolate

5 ounces (1 1/4 cups) semi sweet chocolate

1. preheat your oven to 350F. line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. whip half of the butter on medium speed until smooth. add the remaining butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
3. add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each egg. 
4. with the mixer on low, mix in the kosher salt, baking soda, and flour.
5. use a spoon to fold in the chocolate.
6. use about two tablespoons of dough per cookie and form into balls. place balls at least two inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet (cookies will spread). bake about 12 minutes. let cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack completely. 
7. store in an airtight container.