The Food Lab's Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

If you're going to make these cookies, Make sure you make the dough the day before you bake them!
These need to chill in the refrigerator over night.  If you're desperate to put these amazing cookies in your mouth as soon as possible, at least get them chilled for as long as you possibly can. I will copy the scientific baking suggestions below the recipe. This is a very informative recipe on why this recipe works and more importantly,
​they're awesome.

Ingredients 
​
Make sure to measure all your ingredients. I guarantee you that your 2 sticks of butter will not weigh 225 grams or weigh 8 oz even thought thats what it says on the package. You will not get 280g of flour by scooping it out of your flour bag.


8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks; 225g)
​1 standard ice cube (about 2 tablespoons; 30mL frozen water)
10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups; 280g)
3/4 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt (4g)
5 ounces granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup; 140g)
2 large eggs (100g)
2 teaspoons (10mL) vanilla extract
5 ounces dark brown sugar (about 1/2 tightly packed cup plus 2 tablespoons; 140g)
8 ounces (225g) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped with a knife into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks
Maldon sea salt, for garnish (Course or finishing salt)

Directions
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, gently swirling pan constantly, until particles begin to turn golden brown and butter smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue swirling the pan until the butter is a rich brown, about 15 seconds longer. Transfer to a medium bowl, whisk in ice cube, transfer to refrigerator, and allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. (Alternatively, whisk over an ice bath to hasten the process.)

2. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Place granulated sugar (not brown sugar!), eggs, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until mixture is pale brownish-yellow and falls off the whisk in thick ribbons when lifted, about 5 minutes.

3.  Fit paddle attachment onto mixer. When brown butter mixture has cooled (it should be just starting to turn opaque again and firm around the edges), add brown sugar and cooled brown butter to egg mixture in stand mixer. Mix on medium speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just barely combined, with some dry flour still remaining, about 15 seconds. Add chocolate and mix on low speed until dough comes together, about 15 seconds longer. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or a spoon cookie dough into an airtight container and refrigerate dough at least overnight and up to 3 days. It's much easier to drop the chilled cookie dough onto the cookie tray if they are already in balls.

4.  When ready to bake, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).  Place scoops of cookie dough onto a nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet. Each ball should measure approximately 3 tablespoons in volume, and you should be able to fit 6 to 8 balls on each sheet. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown around edges but still soft, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through baking.

5.  Remove baking sheets from oven.  Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle very lightly with Maldon salt.  Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

6.  Repeat steps 4 and 5 for remaining cookie dough. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container, plastic bag, or cookie jar at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Why it works

Browning the butter gives the cookies a more intensely nutty, butterscotch flavor.
Chopping the chocolate by hand creates large and small pieces for more textural and flavor contrast.
An overnight rest allows enzymes to break down large carbohydrates, enhancing the caramelization and browning process the next day to help the cookies develop deeper flavor.

What Happens When Chocolate Chip Cookies Bake?
​If you would like to read the very informative article on the science behind making a good cookie, read
​The Food Lab's Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe