BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I think Frances M. Campbell of Harrisonburg, VA was right on when she named these cookies. I think they just might be the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever eaten. She says that she has many people ask her for the recipe. (I am not surprised!)

The recipe is one in my Mennonite Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley gathered by Phyllis Pellman Good and Kate Good cookbook. I made two changes that might have affected the taste a little, especially the omition of nuts. I made the cookies to share with my grandchildren. Tyler has a peanut allergy so they avoid all nuts. The other family of grandchildren can now eat nuts (after being cleared of allergies) but I just decided to leave them out. I started to make some without and then add them to the rest of the dough, but I didn't have any pecans and am not sure if the granddaughters like walnuts. The other change I made was reducing the brown sugar by a fourth of a cup. Trust me they are sweet enough my way. Don't cheat on the chocolate chips! Lots of chips in the cookie makes a prettier cookie. Taste really great, also.

BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1/2       cup margarine, softened (I just let it set out til it was room temperature)
1/2       cup solid shortening
1/2       cup sugar
1           cup brown sugar (I used 3/4 cup of brown sugar)
1/2       teaspoon vanilla
2          eggs, well beaten
2-1/4    cups flour
1           teaspoon salt
1           teaspoon baking soda
1           cup coarsely chopped pecans (I did omit, but they would be better I think)
1           12 - ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together margarine, shortening, sugars, and vanilla until light a fluffy. (I beat mine on medium for at least 2 minutes.)

Fold in eggs. Then beat until well mixed.

Add flour, salt, and baking soda. (I combined these in a separate bowl first.) Mix well.

Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Mix well.

Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 - 4 hours or overnight. (I chilled my dough about 5 hours. I also put the bowl back in the refrigerator between batches.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. (I prefer the latter.)

Drop by a cookie scoop and space at least 2 inches apart.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes. (10 was fine for me.) The cookies will be puffy but brown around the edges.

I cooled mine on the cookie sheet til they flattened. 

Then removed them to a wire rack to finish cooling.