Friday, April 30, 2010

Chocolate chip cookies - for high altitude


Thanks to all my Facebook fans for encouraging me to post this cookie recipe. I hope you all enjoy it. If you're not a fan of Andrea the Kitchen Witch on Facebook, please take a minute to click on the link on the left side to become one. The Kitchen Witch thanks each and every one of you for your support!

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

18 comments:

StephenC said...

Alas, I don't bake sweet things, but these cookies look wonderful. Did you ever get the address of Savory Spice in Colo Spr I sent you?

Miss Meat and Potatoes said...

Chocolate Chip cookies should be sainted. These look fantastic Andrea. Thanks for sharing!

http://meatandpotatoesfoodie.blogspot.com/

Scuttleboose said...

These look delicious, Andrea! Reading your blog always sets off instant cravings :)

Unknown said...

Andrea,
My little one just looked over my shoulder and saw your pictures and now is certian what we'll be cooking up next! They LOOK DELICIOUS!

Siri said...

Those look superb! I once played tennis in Colorado and was amazed at how high the balls bounced. I blamed the altitude when my mom beat me.

Baking Addict said...

mmmm... these look amazing. I love cookies!! I never have to store mine as I can usually finish them! Have a great weekend :)

Unknown said...

YAY!! I knew you'd bow down to the wishes of the masses!! YUM! As I've said.. there really is no better cookie then the basic chocolate chip cookie! I hope you saved me at least one!

Sook said...

Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite! Yours look so wonderful... drooling over the screen.. :)

Sarah said...

You know, Andrea, the entire time I was in Calgary (30+ years) I rarely made the adjustments for altitude! Always with canning my tomatoes but little else! I have no idea on the altitude in my new home. Guess I should check!

Lisa Avant said...

Hi Andrea! Pleasure to meet you. I am so right on with your style of cooking! I appreciate greatly your welcoming comment to me on my blog. I can already see so many recipes of yours that I would love to attempt. Looking forward to a blogging friendship! Let's keep in touch.

Lorraine said...

Nothing like good old chocolate chip cookies! Love them. Yours look great. Thanks for the tip about the scoop. I have heard of this but just never think of it until I am making cookies. I have to remember to get one.

dana said...

what a great invention these cookies are! they look even better with that glass of milk.

Unknown said...

They look incredible!!
How much is a stick of butter? Sorry, not sure about measurements here in South Africa. :)

Pam said...

They look delicious and wish I had one now. I must get a cookie scoop!

Andrea the Kitchen Witch said...

Pam, 1 stick of butter is 1/2 cup. Sorry about that!

Unknown said...

Thanks :) Going to try make them this weekend :)

Unknown said...

So I tried the cookies out!!! :) They were eaten as they came out of the oven by my friends on Saturday night. I managed to get my hands on 1 or 2 before they were finished and they were HEAVENLY! :)

Was planning to have them for Mother's day tea with my mom and my mother inlaw yesterday. They honestly were finished by my friends easily within 5mins. So had to make another batch, Im not complaining though ;)

Going to put the pic I took of them up on my blog with in the next hour or so. :)

Thank you for SUCH an awesome recipe!!

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