Classic Flavor in a Crispy Package: Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

When we were in NYC recently (back when leisure travel was still a thing), I was browsing the market close to our hotel looking for a snack. I picked up a fruit bowl from the produce section and as I waited to check out, I saw a small bag of Tate's chocolate chip cookies by the cash register. I almost never purchase cookies at the grocery store, at least not for eating (I will buy Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers to grind up for crusts). But I do love a crispy cookie, so I bought the Tate's and enjoyed them thoroughly after we got back to our hotel.

Joanne Chang's recipe for "Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies" in Pastry Love is her version of a Tate's. To make the dough, you cream room temperature butter and sugar; add an egg, vanilla, and water; and incorporate the dry ingredients (flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips). You need to chill the dough for at least four hours before baking, and I left the dough in the refrigerator for a full day. I also scooped the dough into cookies (using a #20 scoop, yielding 25 cookies per batch) before chilling, because it's can be much more difficult to scoop dough when it's cold.
I flattened the scoops of dough slightly before baking. The cookies definitely spread out a good amount, and while the cookies in the cookbook photo all look like they're perfectly round (much like a real Tate's cookie), my cookies had irregular shapes. So they didn't look as nice as I would have hoped, but they were pretty darn delicious. The were crisp, but not as crunchy as a Tate's. Still, they had a deeply caramelized flavor that was so satisfying. I was delighted with these crispy cookies, which delivered the familiarity and comfort you expect from a good chocolate chip cookie, with a texture that was a little more fun.

Recipe: "Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies" from Pastry Love by Joanne Chang.

Comments

Raylene said…
Wow! Your cookies don't look irregular. They look perfect! How in the world did you achieve that puffy, crispy, perfectly browned exterior? Anna Ginsberg and David Lebovitz posted identical looking cookies. In the end, I think Anna had to make some adjustments; for example, she lowered the baking temperature to get the cookie to brown evenly. Crispy cookies are my preference as well, so I am looking forward to baking these cookies soon. With too many baking books, I've resisted purchasing Pastry Love. I may have to thin-out my collection... Thank you for the great review. Stay safe!
Oh, that's interesting -- my cookies weren't wrinkly at all. My cookies were actually slightly smaller that what the recipe specifies, and maybe scooping the dough before chilling makes a difference in the finished appearance (although I see Anna did that as well)? I've been trying to stop buying cookbooks, but I have to admit that when I recently saw that Powell's Books in Portland was having financial difficulties, I ordered a bunch of cookbooks from there. :) Hope you and your family are well!
Louise said…
David Lebovitz reduced the flour by 1/4 cup and insisted the cookies be baked on the top shelf.
Oh, interesting! It never occurs to me to try baking on different shelves (unless I'm pressed for time and need to double up my pans in the oven!).