Back in the 1930s a woman named Ruth Wakefield decided to put small bits of a semi-sweet chocolate bar in her cookies with the idea that they would melt.

Sad to say, it didn’t melt, but the cookie became so popular that Nestlé put her recipe on the back wrapper of their semi-sweet chocolate bar. Ruth got a lifetime’s supply of chocolate. Not a bad deal for them or us.

Obviously, chocolate chip cookies are one of the most popular uses for semi-sweet/milk chocolate chips and contrary to the recipes on the back of most bags of chips I think there are a few, little-known tricks to making really wonderful chocolate chip cookies

First, always use real butter if you can. Don’t let anyone convince you that butter vs. margarine doesn’t make any difference. It does. Second, triple the amount of vanilla extract recommended. This means to use a tablespoon where a teaspoon is specified. Also, always use real vanilla extract and not the imitation stuff.

Use melted butter not room temperature butter. It makes a big difference. Using melted butter helps the dissolving and melting of the sugar, improving the consistency of the dough as you are working with it, and also improving the texture of the cookies after they are baked. I also like to add my brown sugar to the butter as it’s melting. Fourth, add a little milk, maybe just a tablespoon or two, when you are mixing the dough. This will make it less stiff and the cookies will be less hard and crunchy when they are done. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before cooking it.

Make sure the cookie sheet is room temperature or cooler when you put the dough on it and put it into the oven. If the dough melts around the edges before it starts to bake, the edges will burn or get too brown.

Truly a chocolate-lover’s dream, these muffins are made with semi-sweet chocolate and chocolate chips. They freeze well, but they will be gone before you know it.

 
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg 
11/2 tsp. vanilla extract
12/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
 

Preheat the oven to 400. Line 12 muffin cups with papers. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the semi-sweet chocolate together with the butter. Let stand until cooled, about 10 minutes. Lightly beat the egg. In a small bowl, stir together the chocolate-butter mixture with the buttermilk, sugar, egg, and vanilla, until blended well. In a large bowl, stir together flour, soda, and salt. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the chocolate mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin from oven and let stand at least 5 minutes, before removing the muffins and letting them cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cooled; can be frozen as well. Makes 12.

 
1/2 to 3/4 cups milk
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
butter, for oiling pan
 

In a medium bowl, whisk milk, melted butter and egg lightly until incorporated. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into bowl with egg and milk mixture. Mix the batter just until combined; do not over work batter. Add chocolate chips. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan, wipe down with butter. Spoon the batter into the pan making the pancakes. Cook in the pan until the cake is golden brown on the bottom and full of bubbles on top. With a spatula turn the cake over to brown other side. Serve warm with sweet butter. Makes 6 to 8 pancakes.