Moderation be damned! These are the potato chips of the cookie world— meant to be eaten by the handful. They have a heavenly crunchiness and just-right combination of sweetness and chocolatyness. Crumble them into freshly churned ice cream or over a sundae for a whole new kind of delicious.
Makes 40 cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Make Ahead and Storage: The cookies can be stored airtight for up to 1 week. The scooped cookie dough can be frozen on parchment-lined baking sheets until solid, at least 3 hours, and then transferred to an airtight container. Bake directly from the freezer, adding 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time.
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chocolate chunks and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well.
5. Use a #30 / 2-tablespoon scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets—stagger the cookies, leaving at least 1½ inches between them to allow for spreading.
6. Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets from front to back and top to bottom at the halfway mark, until golden brown at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
✻ Why It Works
To get the ultimate crispy cookie, you first have to maximize surface area, and a higher ratio of granulated sugar helps with that by changing the ratio of liquefier (i.e., the sugar) to flour. This initiates more spread and eventually browns, creating a crisper cookie. A higher oven temperature also increases the spread and helps make the cookies crisper by drying them out a bit.
★ Pro Tip
To help the cookies stay flat and ensure maximum crispness, bang the baking sheets lightly on the racks when you rotate them.