Barb’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has a favorite recipe for making chocolate chip cookies and frankly, if you simply follow the Toll House Original recipe from the package of chips, you would not be disappointed.

However, in my search for a cookie to eat with less guilt I blended my Nana's methods with my efforts to make a cookie with less sugar, less fat, and higher fiber content.

This year I included my chocolate chip cookies in the boxes I put together for gifts. They're the ones in the back of the box. Also seen here are my Oatmeal Raisin, and Cranberry Pecan Lace cookies.

This recipe is simple and delicious...

Ingredients...

• 1 cup softened butter ( I use a healthier spread)
• 1 cup sugar ( I replace this with Splenda Sugar Substitute)
• 1 cup brown sugar (I replace this with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour (I use1 ½ cup all purpose white AND 1 ½ cup whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Here's how you do it...

1. Preheat your oven to 350F
2. Beat the butter and sugars until creamed. Stop and scrape the bowl.
3. Add the eggs (broken first into a small cup/bowl to prevent shells from getting into cookie dough).
4. Add the vanilla extract. Stop and scrape the bowl.
5. In a teacup or saucer dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Add and blend into the batter.
6. Add the salt and flour (one cup at a time) until blended. Stop and scrape the bowl mid way.
7. By hand, with a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
8. Drop by heaping tablespoon 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (I line mine with parchment and while the first batch is baking I prepare another sheet of parchment with the next batch to save time.I simply slide the finished cookies off onto my cook top and then slide the next batch onto the, still hot, cookie sheet and it goes right back in the oven.
9. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350F until edges are golden brown. Every oven is different, watch your cookies so they don't burn. There's nothing worse than a cookie with burnt edges.

Serve with a glass of ice cold milk!!!