Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled if not weighed)
• 1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (11g) cornstarch
• 1/2 (3g) teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, browned & cooled 5 minutes*
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 2 cups (360g) blend of dark and semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
• 1 1/2 cups (140 g) pecan halves, toasted

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Brown your butter.

Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract or paste. The mixture will be thin. Pour into dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

• Cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours or up to 3 days. This fully hydrates the flour which reduces spread, keeps the cookies ultra-thick, improves their color as they bake, and enhances their chewiness.
• Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• Using a cookie scoop, 1/4 cup measuring cup or spoon, measure about 2 ounces (or 60g) of dough.  If you use a spoon, roll dough into a ball, making sure the shape is taller rather than wide—almost like a cylinder. This helps the cookies bake up thicker. Repeat with remaining dough. Place 8–9 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. 
• Bake the cookies for 12–14 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. The centers will look very soft, but the cookies will continue to set as they cool. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooling on the baking sheets, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. 

A few hints: If you use a mixer, don’t overmix because the gluten in the flour will develop and you want cookies, not bread. Don’t flatten the cookies, instead bake them as cookie balls. They will flatten out as they bake. You don’t have to toast the pecans, but it adds a lot to the flavor. Letting the dough chill before baking is really important. I learned about the difference it makes when baking 100-Hour Brownies.