The Best Cookies

This dough is the perfect blank canvas for all your favorite cookie flavors

I can't speak from all of you, but to my mind cookies are great! I'm absolutely in love with them. Chocolate chip cookies, rum and raisin cookies, cranberry and white chocolate cookies ... variations are endless! This basic cookie dough is the only recipe you need to know to make all of them - no matter which flavorings you choose, these cookies will be perfect :)

Basic dough ingredients:

• ⅞ cup unsalted butter (200 g)
• ¾ cup sugar, preferably brown (130 g)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 g)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

My favorite combinations:

For me the whole magic is in adding one secret ingredient to the wet mix and one dry ingredient just before baking :)

Double chocolate with a twist:

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp orange extract
• 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped (200 g)

Cranberry and white chocolate:

• 1 tsp lemon extract
• ½ cup cranberry (100 g)
• ½ cup white chocolate, chopped (100 g)

Rum and raisin:

• 2 tsp rum extract
• 1 ⅓ cups raisins (200 g)

Tools:

For cookies with a chewier texture, use a wooden spoon to mix the dough.
For cookies with cake-like texture, use a mixer that will incorporate more air into the dough.

Process:

Preparation:

• preheat the oven to 180° С (356° F),
• bring the butter to room temperature.

Wet ingredients:

• in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar (with a mixer, use high speed),
• add the eggs,
• add extract and zest, if you use any,
• beat until smooth.

Dry ingredients:

• sift the flour and baking powder together,
• stir in the salt,
• stir in cacao powder, if you use one.

Mixing the dough:

• mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with wet ingredients,
• stir until everything is incorporated (with a mixer, use low speed),
• add main ingredients, i.e. chocolate chips, raisins, cranberry, if you use it.

Baking and serving:

• line a baking tray with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray,
• using a large spoon, form equal size rounds of dough (leave enough space between each cookie as they will spread out a bit as they bake),
• (optional) refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking,
• bake the cookies until the edges turn a light golden color (about 15 minutes),
• once done, cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack,
• allow to cool completely before serving.