The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

As I mentioned with the Garam Masala cookies, I have never been able to master the classic Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie. They always come out thick and cakey. That might sound great to you, but for me, I want a thin, chewy, gooey chocolate chip cookie. So while I avoided yelling at my TV over the deficit negotiations, I took up the banner of creating the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I think I've succeeded. I started with the basic Toll House recipe and threw every trick I know at it to make it better. I increased the white sugar to brown sugar ratio; I added some water to the recipe; I not only melted the butter, I browned it; I mixed the dough using only a wooden spoon; and finally I shortened the baking time by two minutes. And voila! Perfection. The browned butter really adds a nutty-buttery flavor and the cinnamon gives the cookie a little more depth in flavor than just sugar and chocolate. I suggest you mix up a batch for yourself to store in your disaster shelter you're going to have to live in once we go into default. They'll sooth your nerves when the roving motorcycle gangs start taking control in the post-default distopia we'll soon be living in...

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies:
2  C  all-purpose flour
1  t    baking soda
1  t    salt
1  t    cinnamon
5  T   browned butter (melt butter in a sauce pan over med-high heat until golden brown and nutty smelling)
1/2 C  brown sugar
1  C  granulated sugar
1  t    vanilla
2       eggs
2  T   water
12 oz chocolate chips (one bag)

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. In small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

3. Mix sugars and butter until smooth. Mix in eggs, water, and vanilla until smooth. Then beat in dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing just until incorporated. Mix in chocolate chips.

4. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough on pan, bake for 7-8 min, just until done but still gooey in the middle.  Let cool on pan for 3-4 min then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.