What is the absolute best award winning chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Question

These are for gifts so they need to be delicious and not regular toll house cookies.

Answer 1

I wish I could tell you where these came from but Mom did not write down the source just that they are award winning.
At any rate, they are really good.

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)



Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2 Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Stir in the instant pudding until blended. Then stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
3 Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto unprepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown


Makes 6 dozen
These are delicious and truly are 'chewy'. I made them for Christmas this past year and they were a hit.

Answer 2

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.