• Chocolate Chip cookies
• Claire Schmitt HR 1
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• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts
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• PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
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• COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. 
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• BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 
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• PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars. 
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• SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION: 
• PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. 
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• * May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks. 
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• FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

These cookies turned out very rich and chewy. The taste was sweet with some hints of saltiness too. It also had a distinct butteriness to it which made it to die for. The texture was chewy and soft. Right when it came out of the oven, they had more of this quality but over time they got a little more harder and crunchy. The aroma was sweet and buttery. And the appearance was soft, golden brown, and rich which made them so mouth watering. 

This recipe used the creaming method which is what is used to make something lighter. When creaming the fat and sugar, the sugar acts as an abrasive and created tiny air bubbles, causing a perfect fluffy but still held together structure. Not creaming the cookies could have resulted in a weird cookie, and also the texture, and appearance would be affected. 

All in all, I would definitely make these cookies again. If I were to change anything I would experiment with the amounts of butter and brown sugar I used because I tend to like a flatter and more crunchy cookie. Even the time I keep the cookies in the oven could effect this too! One of the best and simple cookie recipes! This is definitely a keeper!