Creatively named Large Chocolate Chip Cookies is is my take on Sherry Yard's chocolate chip cookie recipe from her book, Desserts by the Yard. The book starts with desserts from Sherry Yard’s life as a girl growing up in Brooklyn. It then moves on with more recipes from her life as a young pastry student and chef to her current status as the pastry queen of Beverly Hills. I probably could have chosen a more interesting recipe from the book, but alas I went with my usual favorite -- chocolate chip. Yard's recipe did not disappoint!
Pan Banging Method
Large Chocolate Chip Cookies are thick and dense and the dough is lean enough to hold a good deal of rich chocolate. Incidentally, this is the first chocolate chip cookie recipe where I ever saw a reference to banging the pan to create flat cookies. She says that if you want your cookies to be flat, halfway through baking tap them down on the inside of the oven door.
Large Chocolate Chip Cookies Notes
I have two Sherry Yard books, The Secrets of Baking and Dessert by the Yard. The Secrets of Baking is actually her first book, and Desserts by the Yard (referenced in the post and more autobiographical) is her second. This recipe is from Desserts by the Yard. The recipe in Secrets of Baking is slightly different from the one in Desserts by the Yard. Instead of ½ cup each of brown and granulated sugar, she calls for ½ cup plus 2T. each -- so it has ¼ cup more sugar, total.
Recipe
Large Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour** 200 grams (see note)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 2.5 ml
- ½ scant teaspoon salt 2.5 ml
- 1 stick cold butter, unsalted, cut into chunks
- ½ cup brown sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 gram)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 ml
- 1 large egg
- 1 12 oz bag Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips or 12 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Weigh the flour, then mix in the baking soda and salt, stirring well to blend.
- Cut the stick of butter into tablespoon size chunks. Microwave it for 10 seconds. It should not be soft, but it will yield a little bit easier than if it were stone cold. If you are using a stand mixer, you can skip that step and just let the paddle attachment attack the cut up butter.
- In a mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and both sugars. With paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until butter starts to soften from friction of sugar and beaters. It won’t look smooth and creamy, but sugar will adhere to butter it will look lumpy and grainy. Beat in vanilla and beat until batter is slightly smoother, but still kind of rough. Add egg and beat until egg is incorporated (about 30 seconds).
- By hand or using lowest speed of mixer, stir in flour mixture. When flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips – this recipe has a high proportion of chocolate chips.
- At this point, you can chill the dough, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Scoop it up by very generous tablespoons and drop mounds onto ungreased cookie sheet spacing at least 3 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time on center rack of oven for 13-15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool on cookie sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- I'm not sure what the yield is quite yet because I baked 6 cookies and put the rest of the dough away.
Anna says
Guadalupe, I'm sorry those cookies didn't turn out for you. I sent you an email to see if we could troubleshoot, because the recipe works for me.
Maybe just a little more flour would do the trick. I noted that 1 1/2 cups can be anywhere from 180 to 210 grams. Sounds like your dough might have been better with 210 grams.
Guadalupe Barrios says
Follow the recipe to the perfectly! And was very disappointed my cookies came out on the flatter side. And I’ve been making cookies for over 20 years. Put the butter in the microwave for 10 seconds whipped it up they taste delicious they just don’t look great.
Hélène says
I baked them today, using your metric measures... they are delicious. I overbaked the first batch so they were a little too crispy (euphemism), but the second batch is perfect.
Thanks again!
Hélène
Cheryl St.John says
Oh. My. Goodness. I have to try these!
Raisin'Cookies says
I made these cookies yesterday, and they are lovely! I'm eating more now, actually....
Thanks for the recipe!
Anna says
Natanya, I am looking forward to your report. Have that on my desk my Monday (kidding). I am looking forward to hearing how these work out for others, though.
Lynn, almost all the pictures on this blog were taken with an Elph Powershot 550, so your Elph SD870 should be even better. I really love using the Elph -- especially while traveling. My new camera is bigger and bulkier, but I plan on using it at home. We'll probably take the Elph on trips. It's a great little camera.
Emiline, I agree with you about natural light. One thing I like about my new camera is the automatic setting adjusts well to natural light...even moreso than my beloved little Elph.
Emiline says
Well, I think those are the most perfect looking chocolate chip cookies that I've ever seen. I've never gotten cookies to look that good.
I'll try these next time I want to make cookies.
My camera tip for people is to take off the flash, and use natural lighting. Other than that, I don't really know what to do.
Lynne Laino says
Anna, I've been so busy shopping and baking that I haven't visited your site for weeks - I MISS IT! What a beautiful cookie! My oldest son got me Desserts by the Yard for Christmas and it is wonderful! I haven't made anything yet but now I'll have to try these. My husband got me the Canon Power Shot SD870 Elph - I've taken some pictures but you're way ahead of me with your beautiful photo loaded on your blog! I don't know how you do it all! Thanks for another year of delightful recipes and photos! Now I have to scroll down and see what else I've missed - hopefully a photo or two of Fuzz!
Happy New Year and thank you!
Natanya says
My grandmother used to make her chocolate chip cookies with semi-cold butter, and although her cookies weren't as big as these, just looking at them takes me back to her kitchen. I am adding them to my "recipes to try" sheet and will report back.
Anna says
Hey! That's a great tip, Carole!
carole says
Anna, I have the G7. Exact camera but mine is 10 mp and yours is 12. It takes wonderful pictures. Most of the time I set everything on Auto but I will start playing with oter settings after the first.
Here is a tip for you and anyone else interested. This tip was given to meby a professional photographer who lead my digital photography class.
Unless you are shooting people turn off your red eye reduction. RER eats up your battery and its one less bit of information for the camera to store before it snaps the picture.
If anyone else has any tips please share them.
Happy New Year, everyone
Anna says
Anj, I need to get a second opinion before I put it in the Top 10. If someone else makes it and gets good results, then it just may qualify. I need to stress that this cookie really showcases the chocolate so if you make it, use a lot of good chocolate.
Carole, my new camera is a Canon Powershot G9. I am still learning how to use it. I wish there was someone to come to my house and teach me.
Calla, yesterday the cookies had crispy edges and tender middles. Today, they are solid. Not crunchy, but very sturdy. They still taste good, though! Interestingly, if you cut the Jacques Torres recipe in half, the proportions of flour, sugar, butter and egg are almost the same.
Calla says
Hi!
The cookies look delicious. Are they chewy or crunchy/crispy?
carole says
What camera did you get?
Anj says
I love cookbooks that have a story as well. The picture is amazing. Looks like a great recipe. Do you think it will rank in your top 10?
Anna says
Jeannie, thanks for noticing. Yes, I got a new camera for my birthday :).
Jeannie says
Wow, those look awesome! What a great pic! Did you get a new camera (is it just me or does it look like you can just reach out and eat it!! Yum)