Baking for others is one of my favourite projects, and I believe there’s no better way to show your love for your neighbour than by baking them a batch of classic chocolate chip cookies. These are the tastiest, squidgeyist, yummiest chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever baked, and are super easy for anyone to try for a party, gift, or baking with the children.
Ingredients
150g butter
80g soft brown sugar (e.g. muscovado)
80g granulated sugar
1 egg
225g plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
200g chocolate of your choice
Method
1. Chop the chocolate roughly into small squares (you can use chocolate chips for this, but I find squares melt to just the right level in the oven and add another layer of chocolatey loveliness!)
2. Cream the butter and both sugars together until soft and fluffy (that’s lots of hand beating, or cream them in the food processor). Beat in the egg.
3. Sieve the flour, salt, and bicarbonate of soda over the mixture, and stir in carefully with a wooden spoon. You want it fully mixed in, but not overly beaten – keep it light and airy for that perfect squidgey cookie!
4. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
5. Using a teaspoon, place the mixture in dollops about an inch wide on lined baking trays a few inches apart (don’t put them too close together, they’ll definitely spread!) Avoid rolling them into little balls beforehand – this takes away some of the lovely squidgeyness, and anyway, their irregular size gives them a lovely handmade look.
6. Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 8-10 minutes until golden brown at the edges and soft in the centre.
7. Lift carefully from the baking tray using a spatula or palette knife and cool on a wire rack. They will be very soft at first, but will firm up as they cool. Try to wait until they’re cool to try one!
Wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a ribbon, these make a lovely gift to someone who’s ill, housebound, a new parent, or just because!
You can put your own signature twist on these by adding a teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger, or cocoa powder (just remove a teaspoon of flour to compensate) or adding raisins, raspberries, or other fruits if you prefer. Now you’ve made one batch, I guarantee you won’t be able to resist making another.
Enjoy!
