We all have that cookie we go back to again and again. That cookie that sparks a memory or reminds you of a certain time and place.

For me, it’s a chocolate chip cookie. It is the symbol of my childhood. Running inside after an afternoon of playing or coming home after school and the smell of warm vanilla coming from the oven. My mom would have them out cooling on the wire racks as we would run in and grab them while they were still warm. I can picture it, remember the smell, and relive it as if it were yesterday.

Baking is so much more than a sweet treat. It has so much meaning and purpose. Each recipe has a story or a memory. And it shapes our history and who we are. We may not remember that bag of cookies we bought at the store when we were 10 years old, but our mom’s homemade cookies? We will never forget that.

I also recently shared this recipe on St. Louis Magazine. It’s my mom’s recipes with a few of my small twists. I recommend 1/2 bittersweet and 1/2 semi-sweet (I learned that from Ina Garten), but you could use all one kind if that is all you have on hand.

Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add in the brown sugar and sugar, and continue to beat until creamy and completely combined. Add in the eggs and combine. Add the vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, baking soda, and flour. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and beat until just combined. Fold in the chocolate.

4. Using a cookie scoop, create dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 9 minutes or until edges are golden brown and the middles are just about baked. Let cool for 5–10 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

The Best Chocolate Chunk Cookies