April's Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Each month I post one of our family's favorite recipes, and for April I am posting my chocolate chip cookies.  

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 Crisco Stick

3/4 C granulated sugar

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven at 375.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract with mixer until creamy.  Add eggs.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in morsels.  Wrap cookie mixture in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  Then drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; cool completely on wire racks.

Some of you might notice that this is a variation of the famous Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Two alterations that I made to the Tollhouse cookies are (a) using Crisco Sticks instead of butter, and (b) chilling the dough in the refrigerator before baking.  I find that both steps produce a more substantial cookie that holds together well during the baking process.  Also, if you choose, you can add 1-2 cups of walnuts to the cookies when you add the chocolate chips.  In my house, we have a never-ended nuts vs. no nuts debate when it comes to cookies.  

-Kara