Chocolate chip cookies - for high altitude

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Chocolate chip cookies are A#1 most requested cookies here at Kitchen Witch headquarters. The little Witch only likes white cookies with brown chocolate chips (her words, not mine) so chocolate chip gets made often. I have become quite a pro at whipping these babies out, in less than 5 minutes I can have a batch of dough made up and the kitchen is clean again. Yes, I've got these down to a science!

I've modified everyone's favorite cookie recipe from Nestle Tollhouse for my high altitude. Those of you who don't live at 6,000 ft above sea level probably have no idea the trials and tribulations of baking in high altitudes. Suffice to say that its challenging. Cookies spread too much and become thin crispy wafers, not tender soft and chewy cookies. With a few modifications I've come up with a pretty fool proof chocolate chip cookie that will be chewy and crispy all at once. Even at 6,000 ft above sea level!

Chocolate Chip Cookies - for high altitude
makes about 2 dozen cookies
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 c plus 2T brown sugar
1/4 c plus 2T white sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 t vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c (1/2 bag) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter. Add sugars and beat until light & fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, mix until thick and creamy.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Slowly add them in 3 installments, scraping down the sides as you go. You want a very thick dough, almost the consistence of play dough. Depending on the humidity of the day it may be necessary to add more flour. Add any additional flour in 1T increments. Too little flour yields a flat crispy cookie, too much makes them too dense and dry and they won't spread at all.

Add the chocolate chips, mixing until they are just incorporated into the batter.

At this point you can refrigerate the dough for future use, freeze it for long term storage or bake it. I usually just bake it :)

~*~Kitchen Witch Tip: Invest in a cookie scoop! You'll get even sized and therefore evenly baked cookies. They don't have to be expensive, I got my Chefmate brand scooper (1.5 oz I believe) at Walmart for about $7. Be sure to look for all metal construction. Think about how thick cookie dough is, a plastic scooper would break under those conditions. The scoop should feel solid and not flimsy in your hand. Small cookie scoops can do double duty as a petite ice cream or sorbet scoop and they are ideal for filling mini muffin cups perfectly.~*~

Scoop dough into 1T size balls. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until browned on the bottoms and slightly on the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.



These cookies last about 2 hours before they're gone around here, however, I suppose you could store them for up to 5 days. They will dry out as they age so I recommend eating them as soon as they're cool enough not to burn your mouth.

Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe calculator
24 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 114.4
Total Fat 5.6 g
Saturated Fat 3.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Cholesterol 19.5 mg
Sodium 105.7 mg
Potassium 49.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 16.8 g
Dietary Fiber 0.6 g
Sugars 9.2 g
Protein 1.5 g