If I had to pick only five treats that I could have for the rest of my life they would be (in this order):

toffee

chocolate chip cookies

lemon bars

krispy treats

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Toffee and chocolate chip cookies definitely rival for first place. Equally delicious but toffee... oh man, I can polish off a batch of those embarrassingly quickly. 

But what is it about chocolate chip cookies? They are unanimously the favorite cookie of my household. Which is convenient because sometimes you can please everyone... at least with cookies. 

I've tried many many many chocolate chip cookie recipes. Of course the Neiman Marcus chocolate chip recipe hits a solid second. But, alas, the one and only, absolute best chocolate chip cookie recipe that never fails and never, ever disappoints is Mel's. Her blog really does deserve this camaraderie. She's amazing!

I'm not sure if its the ratio of brown sugar to white sugar that keeps the cookie nice and chewy and it always bakes down and doesn't stay in a hard ball like some cookie recipes do. Or if it is the 2 and 1/8 cups of flour that gives the cookie just the right amount of flour for structure without weighing the rest of the ingredients down and watering out the flavor. Maybe its the melted butter? Somehow melted butter in a cookie recipe always soothes my foodie soul...

Anyway, here is the recipe. I make a few tiny adaptions including throwing in some chopped walnuts and sometimes m&ms's, to make it more special for my kids.

Enjoy!

Mel's Chocolate Chip cookies

2 1/8 cup flour (I always use freshly-ground whole grain hard white wheat)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cubes butter

2 large eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine dry ingredients; set aside. Cream butter and both sugars until mixed and fluffy. Add eggs and mix again. Add dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and walnuts and mix until combined.

Use a small ice cream scooper (if you have one, just makes it easier) into small clumps and bake at 350 degrees, 8-10 mins.

Let cool on metal rack.

Devour!