- 16 tablespoons (8 ounces) butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg white, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1¾ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cups flour
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (or chocolate with 61 to 66 percent cocoa solids, chopped)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (6 ounces) chopped walnuts (optional)
- Stand mixer
- Cookie sheets
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with oil or line with aluminum foil, parchment, or silicone pads, or use nonstick pans.
- Cream the butter and incorporate the eggs (see the Notes on creaming butter and room-temperature eggs):
- Place the butter in the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes fluffy and lighter in color, 6 to 8 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and egg white and continue to beat until they are fully incorporated and the batter looks smooth and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Assemble the dry ingredients and finish the dough:
- In a dry bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, and flour. Add the dry mixture, all at once, to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold together for a few turns. With the mixer on slow speed, mix the dough until thoroughly combined, 1 minute. Add the chocolate chips, vanilla, and walnuts, if you are using them. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix for another 30 seconds. The batter can be made up to this point and refrigerated, well wrapped, for up to 4 days.
- Bake the cookies:
- Using 2 teaspoons, scoop the dough into mounds arranged 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until they are a light golden brown with darker coloring at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. For a crunchier, darker, more caramelized cookie, bake a little longer. For even browning, rotate the sheets from front to back and between each of the baking racks at least once while the cookies a re baking.
- Serving Suggestions:
- Serve these cookies warm, 20 minutes after you take them out of the oven.