Deluxe Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Chocolate chip cookies are arguably the easiest dessert if you're looking to please a crowd, making them a classic option to bake any time — even if you're going to eat every single one yourself. The recipe is constantly being reinvented because of its popularity and undebatable deliciousness. Still, Toll House cookies are a timeless version, and the first to set the stage for many other chocolate chip cookies to come. Named after the location where they were first baked, this decadent treat is a must-have in your baking repertoire (via Smithsonian Magazine).

Recipe developer Jessica Morone lays out the steps to recreate these deluxe Toll House chocolate chip cookies and comments, "My favorite thing about these cookies is the flavor," describing, "They are sweet, nutty, and have the perfect amount of salt in them." You really don't need an excuse to make these cookies; as Morone notes, "I literally can't stop eating these, so I think any time is a good time to enjoy them." Read on for the details. 

To whip up the batter, you'll need butter, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, large eggs, and vanilla extract. To complete these iconic cookies, grab a bag of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, and chop up some toasted pecans.

Morone notes that she has tried other nuts, and adds, "Walnuts are kind of the classic option for cookies, but I just love the way the brown butter goes with the toasted pecans in these." She recommends buying already toasted pecans for simplicity, but says, "You can toast your own pecans, or even just use plain pecans if you want."

This recipe takes it up a notch by using brown butter in the batter. Morone explains that "Brown butter is one of the best things to add to baked goods because it adds a really complex, rich, and slightly nutty flavor." That being said, she warns that this is "the only tricky step," since you have to be cautious to avoid burning the butter. 

Place a saucepan on the stovetop at medium heat, and add the butter. Morone points out that "Using a light-colored pan makes it easier to see when the milk solids become golden." Stir the butter as it melts, and then keep on mixing for about 6 to 8 minutes as it begins to brown. The butter should darken, and smell nutty as the milk solids turn golden. Be sure to immediately remove the pan from the heat, and transfer the butter to a bowl to cool.

Once the browned butter is made, it's easy sailing. Preheat your oven to 375 F, and grab a large bowl. Add in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and mix the contents until everything is properly combined. 

Next, crack the 2 eggs into the dry ingredients, add a splash of vanilla extract, and pour in the browned butter. Use a spatula to mix the wet and dry ingredients, ensuring that there are no more dry streaks of flour. Finally, fold in the mini chocolate chips, and chopped pecans until they are just combined.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and place tablespoon-sized scoops with an inch of distance between them on the sheet. Morone uses an ice cream scoop, but a tablespoon or regular spoon work fine too. 

Once the oven is at temperature, place the cookie sheet on an oven rack, and bake them for 9 to 11 minutes, until the tops are nice and golden. 

You'll want to dive right in, but for the sake of your palate and tongue, let the cookies cool down briefly. 

Morone recommends keeping these at room temperature in a sealed container for 4 to 6 days ... if they last that long. "They can be breakfast, a snack, a dessert, or just [something] you grab when you happen to be in the kitchen," she adds.