August 29, 2009

Toaster Ovens Make Better Chocolate Chip Cookies


I've done a few experiments and there's no denying it—toaster ovens just make better cookies.  Chocolate Chip cookies to be exact.  There was a lot of talk last year about “the perfect chocolate chip cookie” and although I am sure those other versions were wonderful, I still firmly believe there’s no beating Ruth Graves Wakefield’s original Toll House Cookie recipe for taste, and more importantly, ease. I do agree with modern day bakers on one important point though: salt.  Salt is the key to a truly delicious chocolate chip cookie–one that is luscious and filled with gooey chocolate until that one bite when you hit a salt crystal and it blows your mind.  I’m serious.  For that reason I substitute big crystals of sea salt for regular old salt in the THC recipe.
Any baker, in any kitchen, can make this chocolate chip cookie recipe. The secret, for all you mini-kitchen dwellers, is in the toaster oven.  Maybe it’s the magic of a perfect balance in heat and surface area, or maybe it’s just the fact that you can feel like you’re baking in your easy-bake-oven again.  Whatever it is, the cookies that come out of a toaster oven are just better.  I dare you to try it.


My Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie (adapted from Nestle Toll House)
Makes 14-20 cookies
1 c. all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
1 stick of butter, softened
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 c. (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until creamy.  (**It’s very important to do this with a wooden spoon, not a hand mixer.) Add egg and beat well.  Gradually stir in flour mixture until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Spoon tablespoon sized amounts of dough on to your “baking sheet” (or the only pan a toaster oven comes with…) and cook for 10 minutes exactly. 

Now, working with a toaster oven means that it would take twice as long to make a whole batch of these than it would in a normal oven.  I usually just make the amount of cookies Sam and I will eat that day/night and put the rest of the dough in a container in the fridge for those nights when you just really need a freshly baked cookie…  Enjoy!

36 comments:

  1. "**It’s very important to do this with a wooden spoon, not a hand mixer."

    Why?

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    1. It would probably come out tasting more like cake than a cookie if you used the hand mixer: the spoon would be more gentle. At least this is what I think :)

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    2. Any time you mix a cookie batter with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) you will get a flat cookie unless you add more flour. I usually add around 1/4 cup to the chocolate chip recipe and have no problems.

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    3. To clarify, that's 1/4 cup to the entire recipe as it appears on the bag of chips. You'd use just a few tablespoons for this amount.

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    4. growing up and as an adult we always used a mixer. I only have a toaster oven at the moment but I hate soft cookies. sigh
      I only like them crisp, in fact a med golden brown with a brown, not burnt, taste. Will the toaster oven not make crisp cookies?

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  2. I'll try this one... Thanks!!!!

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  3. I made this,but it rises a lot and has a cake like consistency.But is is quite nice.For my toaster oven,10 mins was too long and i burnt the first batch,6 mins was enough.SO 1 tip from me is that keep your eye on the cookies to make sure it does not burnt.

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  4. Hi Anon, thanks for trying out the recipe. You're right, the cookies do have more of a cake-like consistency and are definitely not crispy, but they are just the way I like them. Also, it's difficult to gauge toaster ovens. It's important to know your own and to always watch the oven when you're trying out a recipe for the first time - even in a full sized oven!

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  5. Thank you for the recipe; my big oven is broken so I'm restricted to the toaster oven. These are indeed very cake-like but delicious with a glass of milk. It only made 12 cookies for me (2 batches) but maybe I was just too generous with the batter. Also, it took about 15 minutes. I also added chopped walnuts... very tasty.

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  6. I'm about to bake these for my hubby and his work buddies, we don't have an oven so I'm super excited to see how they turn out:) I love cakey cookies!

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    1. I love cakey cookies too! Let me know what you think - I'm still making them this way, even though I've upgraded to a real oven :)

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    2. hi,, :)
      ahm,, did the cakey cookies last for a long time just like a crunchy cookies bake in oven?,, i would like to keep it in my cookie jar if possible,,
      thanx :)

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  7. mine tasted kind of funky, probably cause we were all out of brown sugar :(
    thanks anyways :) xoxo

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  8. I have an actual toaster oven. There's no pre-heating setting, only 3 levels of toasting. = (

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  9. Is this possible if I use turbo?

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  10. There was a lot of talk last year about “the perfect chocolate chip cookie” and although I am sure those other versions were wonderful, tssttvvg01

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  11. this is really good for portion sizing :) just made them btw, DELICOUS

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  12. I didn't have any butter so used Banana instead, also used white sugar with a dollop of honey.
    Very cakey but still crunchy on the outside. Delicious!

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  13. i will try this... it will be my first time ever to bake... and using a toaster oven too. Im a mom of two girls, my first born (2.5 yrs old) loves cookies so ill try this. thanks

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  14. How much is a stick of butter? Can I use ordinary table salt instead of sea salt? And umm can I use self raising flour if I don't have baking soda? Sorry for all the qns don't really have lotsa stuff.

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    1. A stick of butter is 8 tablespoons, table salt is fine, yes, and you can use self raising flour, but the ratio might be off because there is a certain amount of baking soda in it.

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  15. I dont have my oven but thanks for this recipe i had baked uhm toasted my first ever cookies! :)

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  16. Hi, I just would like to share my baking experience with toaster oven. One tip: you could use a foil underneath and on top of the cookie so just to prevent it from burning.

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    1. ahm,, hi,, did that foil also can make the cookies a little bit crunchy and not cakey.. ?,, :)

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    2. I also suggest placing a foil underneath and grease it with butter. Mine turned out a bit crunchy. I even tried substituting olive oil instead of butter for greasing and turned out so crunchy!

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  17. can u use reg cookie dough from the store

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  18. Your oven rack should be in the highest position so the meatballs are within inches of the heat source, unless otherwise directed by your oven. under counter toaster oven

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  19. If i use a toaster oven , how long will it take to bake my cookies??? Thanks

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    1. 15 minutes, but someone said that 6 mins was enough. Im a 14yo guy heh.

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  20. He thanks for the recipe, I'm gonna try this... how do I make the cookes less cakey and more crunchy? Does anone know?

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  21. That looks delicious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe..Love it..I am sure that kids will fall crazy for it.

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  23. This is the reason why i started baking and I planned to make it as a business. Hopefully soonest...
    Thanks for the recipe! :)

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