The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

This weekend feels a bit bittersweet to me; on one hand we just received word that our kids will be returning to school full time starting on March 1st. We have been some of the lucky few who have had in-person learning 4 full days a week, but Mondays have been remote. Mondays can be long and hard. They can suck the life out of you - but nothing like this past Spring when we were entirely remote, as many of my friends have remained, and for this I am truly grateful.

But I'm also a little sad. Because this time at home has shaped us as a family. I have become even more aware of the learning styles of my children and have been able to cheer them on, help them understand concepts, and have taken a role in their schooling that generations before us have never gotten to experience. Giving up Mondays is the end of an era.

So instead of moping around and overthinking how fleeting their childhoods are truly becoming, I did what I often do to perk myself up...I turned on my trusty Marshall speaker and filled my kitchen with music and mess. Today I am sharing my absolute favorite Chocolate Chip cookie recipe...and if you know me, I have much more of a salty potato chip weakness than I have ever had a sweet tooth; so sprinkling these soft & delicious, warm from the oven tasty treats with sea salt is a SLAM DUNK in my book.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- ½ teaspoon salt

- 1 cup butter (melted in the microwave until just warm; part liquid and part chunks of butter is best!)

- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

- ⅔ cup granulated sugar

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

- 1 large egg

- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

- Course Sea Salt (YUM!!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl beat together the butter, sugars, vanilla extract and the vinegar until smooth. Beat in the egg just until combined.

3. Mix the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until combined. Stir in the chips.

4. Using a large cookie scoop (about 2 rounded tablespoons) drop about 3 inches apart onto cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, they will look light brown around the edges and will look underdone in the center. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with a little sea salt. Allow to sit on the sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a rack to cool.

My girls helped me bake these and then the entire family assisted in devouring them. I also love how most of the ingredients were already in the pantry (all but the chocolate chips of course-because a bag of those never stays put for long in our house!). If you try these out let me know what you think!