Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello my lovelies - oh what a surprise I've been baking again. When you open up the baking cupboard  (yes I have a cupboard especially for baking in fact I have two however sad that may sound) and you see packets of chocolate chunks the obvious solution to me was to bake some chocolate chip cookies. These are gooey chocolate chip cookies that were inspired by the cookies you can buy from Ben's Cookies and Millie's Cookies. Original names or what but whoever Ben and Millie are they do sure know how to bake a cracking cookie. Just the aroma you get when you walk past Ben's and Millie's shop is enough to get your stomach rumbling even after a full three course meal. When I was little and went shopping in Oxford with my Mum she would always treat me to a couple of Millie's cookies. I could list all my favourites but that would take too much room, time and it would pretty much consist of the entire menu. Baking these definitely brings back many a happy childhood memory for me. 

Millie's and Ben's cookies are what I would describe as the perfect cookie. They have a crisp golden edge whilst being warming, soft and gooey in the centre. Absolute bliss. No homemade cookie could ever taste the same yet they can have that comforting homely taste and smell which is just as good. I was really chuffed with this batch of cookies. They have a golden crunch around the edge and are soft and gooey in the middle. These are best served warm as the chocolate will still be gooey and they will be softer then when served cold. Yet even if they last long enough to get to that cold stage they are still amazing if I don't say so myself. I'm not one to go on about my own bakes  and blast my own trumpet but I still can't get over these, they turned out so much better then I could have ever expected which fills me with a warm feeling inside and a smile beaming across my face. 

Just going to throw this out there but how could you say no to a bowl full of warm, freshly baked cookies and ice-cream I mean hello take me there now please thank you kindly so to you. 

This recipe is really quick and easy to follow. It also created very little washing up compared to other biscuits, cakes and sweet treats that I have made before. What I love about these is they are what they say they are - a chocolate chip cookie - nothing fancy just a plain and simple chocolate chip cookie. Don't be put off by these but simplicity is often the best and most comforting thing to bake and eat. 

Ingredients - I made 40 yet these are smaller then the Millie's cookies so if you wanted to get more true to one then you could make larger but fewer cookies

125g unsalted butter
100g light brown sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
200g chocolate chips

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 180  C/ 160  Fan/ Gas mark 4. Afterwards line and grease your baking trays with greaseproof paper to prevent the biscuits burning and sticking

2) Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale, light and golden

3) In a separate bowl lightly beat your egg and then add it to the creamed butter and sugar mixture along with the vanilla extract and mix together. This will loosen the mixture and appear similar to that of a cake batter

4) Sift in your flour and mix the ingredients together to form a dough

5) Kneed the chocolate chips into the dough

6) Roll the cookie dough into walnut sized balls and bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes. After about 8 minutes in the oven I swapped the baking trays lengthways to aim for an even bake and for the biscuits to all be golden without some remaining pale whilst others burn

7) Once baked remove the biscuits from the oven and leave to cool in the trays for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire wrack to cool.

You could choose to now either demolish the entire batch or restrain yourself and allow the biscuits to cool, what I will say though is that you cannot beat a warm, freshly baked cookie. I know I couldn't hence why my Mum is now taking less to work with her tomorrow for everyone in the office to share. Whoops sorry Mum. This is such an easy recipe to make I'm so glad that I discovered it. You could change it up by mixing the chocolate chips you use, adding fruits or nuts, adding cocoa powder or even icing them. Now that you have your basic Millie's cookie recipe the world is your oyster so you can get creative. Let me know in the comments if you discover any amazing combinations that you want to share. I personally think you cannot beat a bit of caramel or white chocolate and raspberry myself.

XXX