Delicacies from Our Short Visit to Chinatown.

I used to make these so often that now, when I taste chocolate chip cookies without double the amount of chips to the amount of batter, I'm disappointed. For a standard chocolate chip cookie, halve the weight of the chips.

Loaded with Chips Chocolate Chip Cookies

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (one 12-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) coarsely chopped walnut or pecan pieces, optional
• 2 or 3 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans covered with parchment or foil Instructions

RECIPE METHOD

1. Set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; stir well to mix.

3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla, beating until smooth. Don't overbeat.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a large rubber spatula stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chips and the optional nuts.

5. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough 2 or 3 inches apart on the prepared pans.

6. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are deep gold and firm.

7. Slide the papers off the pans onto racks.

8. After the cookies have cooled, detach them from the paper and store them between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Variation

Chocolate Chunk Cookies: Instead of chocolate chips, use 12 ounces of dark, milk, or white chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Or try combining two kinds of chips or chunks in the same batch of cookies.