This recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies ever may take two days, but they are worth every single second that it takes to make them!
Okay. I will start by saying that this recipe is the biggest break ever with my “if you can’t make it in 30 minutes or less we don’t eat it” rule, because this one takes two days.
Yes, two days, you read that correctly. And all I can say is, they are WORTH it. They are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made, eaten, seen, etc. I have independent teenage verification of this. Here’s the scoop.
A long time ago I printed this recipe out from the New York Times food section, because the author (my dear friend, the fabulous David Leite) promised these would be cookies like no others, and he gave all sorts of scientific explanation as to why.
I am a sucker for scientific verification of why recipes should be done in specific ways and so I filed it away for future cookie-making. Periodically I would come across it and read the two-day part, and back it would go into the stack.
The two-day part is one of the critical elements — apparently cookie dough that sits for more than 24 hours, and as part of that allows the butter to reform into it’s original harder state is way better than your regular dough.
But TWO DAYS? Who has two days for cookies?
And then one weekend I did have two days. On Saturday I made the dough, following the instructions to the last letter. (If I was going to devote two days to cookies, I was not taking any chances.) Into the refrigerator the dough went to mellow, or whatever it was that it was supposed to do.
On Sunday, I measured them out EXACTLY as instructed, sprinkled them with the expensive sea salt EXACTLY as instructed, and baked them EXACTLY as instructed.
And oh. My. Goodness.
All I can say is…two days, expensive sea salt…totally, completely, absolutely worth it. I’ve eaten a lot of chocolate chip cookies in my day, and these I will remember for a long, long, long time. It’s enough to make you cancel your plans for the weekend just to have time to make them.
Here is a link to the whole article in the Times, because all kidding aside, I think it is really interesting to understand WHY all this works the way it does. And even better, here is a link to David’s original, amazing recipe.
Give them a try — life is too short not to have eaten these cookies at least once. Trust me on this – I wouldn’t steer you wrong on something so serious as a chocolate chip cookie. I mean, c’mon.
Charmaine Krob says
Can I make these and freeze them for Christmas?
Hi Charmaine! You definitely can, but my recommendation would be to freeze the dough, and then bake them up fresh. They will have a much nicer fresh out of the oven taste! Here’s a handy article about freezing cookie dough: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-freeze-cookie-dough-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-195223 Hope this helps!
Kate Morgan Jackson says
You're so welcome, and have a delicious holiday! :)
Anonymous says
Thank you so much, I found it and will definitely give it my best effort. I made an extra copy of the recipe for my daughter who is a true chocolate chip fan. Thanks again and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Kate Morgan Jackson says
I would never want to frustrate Christmas! The recipe was in the link to the article, but I've added a second link to the actual recipe itself now at the bottom of the post. Merry Christmas!
Anonymous says
Where is the link to the recipe? Very frustrating way to start Christmas morning. I will just have to do one of your other luscious recipes, I have printed many of them, thank you very much!
Kate says
How great! Try the Valrhona chocolate at Whole Foods if you can, it comes in flat ovals and is AMAZING.
mdr1994 says
omg, my wife made these cookies for me secretly over the weekend and served them to me last night.
they indeed are amazing — and very possibly the best chocolate chip cookies ever!
and i'm psyched that she says she's gonna make some more, testing out a few different kinds of chocolate…
Kate says
I'm so glad you tried the choc/coconut bars! This one takes forever and a day to make, but man, these are MEMORABLE cookies. I used Valrhona chocolate disks from Whole Foods (meant to mention that in the post). Meantime, I don't know The Splendid Table, will have to check it out!
whiterice says
And I thought I had the best choc chip cookie recipe! Funny….I've heard a similar scientific explanation for better choc chip cookies on (if my memory serves me) The Splendid Table.
This recipe is a keeper….we just have to finish eating the choc/coconut bars first….which shouldn't be that difficult! Thanks for sharing.