Introduction: Chocolate Chip Cookies

This Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is my grandma’s recipe and a family favorite! I don’t make them very often because they are very bad for you (since there is a whole cup of Crisco in them), but they are hands down my favorite cookie! I remember finding them in the freezer every time I visited my grandma as a kid.

Step 1: Gather Ingredients and Tools

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup Brown sugar
  • ¾ Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup Shortening (Crisco)
  • 2 Eggs
  • ½ tsp water
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • 1 tsp of baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • Cooking spray

Tools:

  • One smaller and one large bowl
  • 2 9x14 cookie sheets/baking pans
  • Hand (or stand) mixer
  • Rubber Spatula
  • ¼, ¾, 1 measuring cups
  • Teaspoon
  • Ice cream scoop (not pictured) or spoon
  • Cooling rack or towel to place cookies on once cooked

Step 2: Preheat Oven

Once all the ingredients and tools are gathered preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so it can warm up as you prepare the cookie dough.

Step 3: Cream Sugars and Shortening Together

First begin by creaming the sugars and shortening (Crisco) together with the hand (or stand) mixer in the bigger bowl. These are called the “wet ingredients.”

Step 4: Add Eggs, Vanilla, and Water

Once you have creamed the sugars and Crisco together you can add the eggs, vanilla, and water to the already prepared wet ingredients and blend it in with the mixer.

Step 5: Mix Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt

In the smaller bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Together these are called the “dry ingredients.”

Step 6: Blend All Ingredients Together

Adding about half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with the mixer. Doing half at a time is not mandatory but makes a lot less of a mess.

Step 7: Add Chocolate Chips

The last step in making the dough is to fold in the chocolate chips with the rubber spatula, 1 cup at a time. This way the chocolate chips aren’t crushed with the mixer.

Step 8: Spray Pans With Cooking Spray

Lightly coat the pans with cooking spray. The brand doesn't matter, it just helps when it comes time to take the cookies off the cooking sheet.

Step 9: Scoop the Dough

Scoop 1-inch ball sized cookie dough onto baking sheet, either with an ice cream scoop or a spoon. I place 12 cookie dough balls in rows of 4 and columns of 3 onto the pan so there is enough room to spread out. Bake for 13-14 minutes, check around 10 minutes just in case your oven has a higher heating element.

Step 10: Cool and Serve

Take out of the oven once golden brown and crispy on the outside – or to your liking. It is important to take the cookies off the pan (place on cooking rack or dish towel) a few minutes after they are out of the oven otherwise, they will continue cooking – this is called “stand baking” which we don’t want.