::Best You've Ever Had Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of anything sweet, especially things that contain chocolate. Living at a high altitude, cooking & baking poses a bit of a challenge because sometimes things just don't come out correctly. After several failed attempts to make regular ole' chocolate chip cookies, a good friend of mine gave me this recipe to try and combat the flat cookie syndrome as a result of the elevation. I renamed them "Best You've Ever Had Chocolate Chip Cookies" because they're just that; the best I've ever had! This recipe also works great for sea-level elevations and all those in between. Next time you've got a hankering for some delectable chocolate chip cookies, give this one a try! It won't disappoint!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and set aside
3. In another large mixing bowl, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla,and pudding mix. Beat until it's smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonful, about 2 inches apart, onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until they are lightly brown on the edges.
6. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

NOTE: It will likely get dry and think towards the end, which is perfectly fine. They really do end up being moist cookies regardless because of the pudding mix. If you feel like it is too much so, or you have trouble mixing it, add a little milk just to soften it up a bit. They will probably not turn brown when they are done, so be sure to look for the lightly brown edges when it's time to take them out. You want to make sure they remain moist! It's a good idea to sometimes refrigerate some of the dough before you make it, but not at all necessary. It just serves to make a more structured cookie. 

Since I love to modify recipes, here are some things I do to spice things up a little...

• For more chocolately cookies, add an extra handful of chocolate chips
• If you like chopped walnuts, add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of walnuts
• Substitute the chocolate chips for peanut butter morsels... yum!

ENJOY!