The Best Cookie Ever...Seriously.

Okay. Here it goes.

I LOVE baking cookies. I mean, L-O-V-E it to the utmost degree. I love baking them more than I do eating them (though eating the dough is very close to a tie). Get the picture? When I was in college, I set out on the "perfect cookie recipe" search. I'm not kidding - I would raid refrigerators and grocery store isles, dumping all kinds of different ingredients trying to "discover the magic" that is in the goeyness of a cookie.

And then one day I found it.

In my opinion - the fluffiest, goeyiest, most delicious chocolate chip cookie. Don't be fooled though - I'll admit there was not a ton of invention here, but a few "extras" added to a good ole original recipe that made ALL the difference. I've been making these for years no and they never cease to be gone within a short time frame and gather gobs of compliments. I've recently been asked for the recipe a handful of times, so I thought I would share and let ya try it out for yourselves.

Again - let me repeat - it won't seem all that magical of a recipe, but I dare you to try it. :)

Here's the 3 main factors that make these things pop:

Now here's how it works:

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the following:
      - 2 sticks of butter that have been softened in microwave for 20 secs (sounds weird, but this is actually a factor I have found - and no other butter has worked better than the cheap ole Blue Bonnet)
      - 2 Eggs
      - 3/4 Cup Sugar
      - 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
      - 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
      - 1 Large Box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix (DO NOT use Cook & Serve!!!)

Set Aside.

In a separate bowl, sift the following together:
      - 2 1/2 Cups Flour (this is a little extra than most recipes)
      - 1 Tsp Baking Soda
      - 1 Tsp Salt

Slowly mix the dry in with the wet, and then add a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Cook for 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees. (My oven cooks them slightly underdone and perfect at 10 minutes). They will look somewhat underdone. Very important NOT to cook them too long or they don't taste nearly as good.

**Now, something I have found this year, is that if you make the dough and freeze it for later, I think the cookies come out slightly better for some reason! I did this a lot over holidays so I could pull out some dough when I needed cookies in a pinch. I almost always freeze it now...even if for the day.

I promise you'll fall in love with these...ENJOY.