A Note:

These are the world's best chocolate chip cookies, and I say that only because I put them up against my own mother's and even she agreed, in her way. But you are only ever as good as your ingredients -- and your technique, I suppose, which just takes practice -- SO be sure to get the best butter, eggs, vanilla extract (i.e. not the imitation stuff), and chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is my grocery store go-to but don't rule out chopping up a couple of nice bars for more depth of flavor.) Refrigerating the dough gives it more body in the baking process and a better bite when it's cooked. I tend to under-bake them, to "rare."

My mom was known for serving ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies for dessert at dinner parties, which blew everybody's minds as they devoured them over the kitchen sink. I love the tradition but I break by serving the scoop in a bowl with a warm cookie on top and spoon. Still, a show-stopper. X, AK

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups AP flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1-1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. Greek yogurt (2%)
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Mix flour, baking soda, salt. Set aside.
2. Brown butter: Melt in saucepan over med. heat. WHISK consistently(...seriously, do not stop whisking!) After a few minutes, butter will begin to brown slightly, first in the center of the pan. Continue to whisk, and remove from heat as soon as butter is brown & has a nutty scent to it. Transfer to a bowl & let it cool.
3. In a Kitchenaid, mix butter with both sugars. Add 1 egg + egg yolk (discarding white), Greek yogurt, 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla.
4. Gently, on low speed, fold in flour mixture. Add chocolate. Roll dough into 3-4 even cylinders in parchment paper and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours before baking.
5. Slice to order. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.