cookie #3

Editor's Note: This is the third instalment in my quest to make the best chocolate chip cookies. Please feel free to leave recipe suggestions or tips in the comments below. All related posts can be found by clicking the "in the kitchen" label on the right side of the page.

The third recipe on my list of cookie experiments are Mrs. Foster's Chocolate Chip Cookies. This is a tried and tested recipe from my lovely coworker J, whose family has been making these morsels for many years. Based on the ingredients, you'll notice right away that these have more of a sugar cookie consistency, which sets them apart from the recipes I've tried so far.

Mrs. Foster's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening

1 cup white sugar

1⁄ 2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1⁄ 2 tsp salt

2⁄ 3 cup chocolate chips (I used minis because I had them on hand)

Mix each of the first five ingredients one by one at high speed in a large bowl. Do not add another ingredient until the previous one is mixed in thoroughly. In the same bowl, add the flour in small amounts at low speed until mixed. Add the baking soda, salt and chocolate chips at low speed until mixed thoroughly. (Note: I actually had better luck by adding the chocolate chips at the end with a wooden spoon instead of the mixer.)

Preheat oven to 325°F (which is a very relative concept when it comes to my oven). Lift cookie dough with spoon and drop on ungreased cookie sheet into small mounds. Do not try to shape them. Bake until tanned in colour, about 15 minutes (I baked all of mine for 12 minutes, but again hotter than the hubs of hades). Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

Here are my pros:

— I really liked that this recipe doesn't call for too many chocolate chips.

— They all cooked up nice and evenly.

— The dough was super easy to handle and didn't stick to my hands. I'm not much of a "spoon the batter" kind of girl.

— They have great taste.

Here are my cons:

— The end result was amazing when warm from the oven, but a little too hard and crumbly for my liking once cool.

Husband has been taking them in his lunches all week, so that's a good sign. Lovely friend T also enjoyed them, but agreed with me on the texture issue.

Mrs. Foster's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Taste: 4 of 5 stars. Again, it really depends on your preference. These are a sugar cookie, really, and that's a-OK in my books. Tasty!
Texture: 2 of 5 stars. Too crunchy and a crumby mess to eat. Maybe I'd cook them less next time?
Overall: 3 of 5 stars.