CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl and with a hand mixer on low speed, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended, 1 minute. [Do not skimp on this step or the cookies will spread and become a crystalized pancake when baked.]

4. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. [Over mix the batter and the cookies will not spread.]

5. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Wait 5 minutes before scooping dough (or the cookies will fall apart). Drop cookie dough 1 tablespoon [from a measuring spoon set] at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets and roll into a ball. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

6. Bake cookies for 13 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly toasted, rotating cookie sheet halfway through bake time. Cool on baking sheets for a 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

NOTE: If baking cookies from frozen, add 1-2 minutes to bake time.