I would only dare make some subtle suggestions to the classic tollhouse recipe.
The traditional version calls for 3/4 cup of white and 3/4 cup of brown sugar for 1 1/2 cups of sugar total. If you are happy with that, then great. It doesn't work for me. Pallid. A little bland. A little too sweet. I use about 1 1/4 cups of dark brown sugar and a couple-tablespoons-less than 1/4 cup of white sugar. I could probably just use all dark brown sugar and completely omit the white, but that just seems so radical.
Vanilla. I believe the recipe calls for a teaspoon. Totally not enough. I use a tablespoon.
Chocolate chips. I never use Nestle chocolate chips because they have an overly sweet flavor and waxy consistency that annoys me. Trader Joe's chocolate chips are a grainy disappointment. But I'm not looking to spend a fortune on fancy chocolate chips, either. I almost always use Ghiradelli semi-sweet. And I would never, ever use a whole bag. 50% to 60% of a bag, max.
Preparation. Always have the eggs at room temp (let them sit in a dish of hot water for a few minutes if they are cold). I like to beat the butter, sugars, and eggs for a really long time on low (like for 5-7 minutes on 4 on the KitchenAid). In my mind this builds the foundation, as in a cake. Plus, it relaxes me. Then mix just to combine once the dry ingredients are added. Then I let it sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
I have recently become a fan of the pan cookie to the extent that I may never go back to the round cookie. Why? Well for starters, it's easier and quicker to spread the dough into a pan than to mess with spooning it out into individual cookies. And since I've already spent 25 minutes mixing and waiting, time is now of the essence. The pan also produces a cookie that is thicker. A thicker cookie means more cookie in my mouth in each bite. And while the edges of the cookie are delicious and not to be rejected, it's really the middle of the cookie that I am after, and the pan presents more middle. Enjoy!
