Flat, Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

A while back, Lorelei wrote in to ask me if I could come up with a recipe for a flat, crunchy chocolate chip cookie that she could make for her dad. I'm not one to turn down a recipe challenge, so I got to work researching and planning. I even conducted a poll to see whether my readers preferred their chocolate chip cookies flat and crunchy or plump and chewy.

I'm a fan of plump and chewy cookies, so this really was a challenge. I even had a couple missteps (well, more like a couple full-blown Oops! episodes) along the way. But, ultimately, I worked out the kinks in my practice batches and have come up with what I think is pretty darn good recipe that will satisfy all those fans of flat, crunchy cookies out there.

I started with my Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, of course, and got a-tweaking. I knew that white sugar makes a crispy cookie, so that was a no brainer. But I also wanted the molassessy richness of brown sugar, just a hint of chewiness, and a nice crumb, so I threw in a wee 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar. So far, so good.

Next came the wet and dry ingredients. The wetter the dough, the flatter and crispier the final cookie, so I cut back on the flour and oatmeal and increased the vanilla a little. I also cut back on the leavening--the baking soda--to ensure that the cookies didn't rise too much while baking.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 3/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon milk
Dry Ingredients	3/4 cup oatmeal 3/4 cup four 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 ounces shaved milk chocolate 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
4. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool. 

Comments

[Lorraine]

This is just for me since I too prefer the flat crunchy cookie! I'll try this for sure. Any chance any of these made it to the freezer?

[Helen]

Thanks for the recipe! By any chance, did you mean 2 ounces of shaved milk chocolate? 20 ounces seems like a lot (especially since you mention half of a Hershey's bar).

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Helen. Thanks catching that! I made the change. It *is* 2 ounces, not 20.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Lorraine. I'll have to make another batch. :-)

[Shikin]

Hello =)

Just so you know, I've baked about a million and five batches of these oatmeal cookies. Everyone loves them! Two weeks ago, I asked my students what they wanted on the last day of school (which was last Friday). Guess what they unanimously agreed on? Yes, you got it. THIS COOKIE. So in I came with an unbelievable amount of cookies and milk for 40 10-year-olds and we spent the last hour of the school term eating EXCELLENT cookies and chatting.

So thank you for the gift of these cookies. I already love them. That they made my 40 children happy make me love the cookies a whole lot more.

Much love from the Singaporean crunchy cookie lover,
Shikin