Saturday Treat

This has felt like the ideal Saturday.  After morning cub scouts and chores, the kids both have friends over and the afternoon is full of laughter, rosy cold cheeks and relaxation.  A perfect day for a little quite baking, with a great payout...big smiles. 

These Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies are adapted slightly from a recipe of Ina Garten's and a huge favorite in our household.

1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1C light brown sugar
1C granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
2C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 bag white chocolate chips (I've used chopped nuts or toffee chunks instead of white choc before too)

Preheat oven to 350

Cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle.
Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well.  Add the cocoa and mix again.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the chocolate mixture on a low speed until just combined.  Fold in the white chocolate.

Drop on baking sheet.  Dampen your hands and flatten dough slightly (this is a huge tip and I use it with most cookies that I make.  It gives them the perfect shape and they spread just right)!  Bake for exactly 15 minutes (they will seem underdone).  Cool slightly on pan, then transfer to cooling rack.

Enjoy!