Recipe of the Week

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are the ones baked on an almost daily basis at the White House.

Makes about 70 cookies

Molasses keeps my chocolate chip cookies chewy for more than a day. It also gives them
a more intense brown sugar flavor than Toll House-type cookies. I bake these cookies at
400 degrees for a good reason: High heat browns the outside while keeping the inside
moist and almost gooey Don't overbake these, or they will overbrown on the outside and
dry out the inside.

                              
1.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
    
2.   In the bowl of an electric mixed fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 
      together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly com-
      bined. Beat in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the
      bowl once or twice as necessary. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
      Then stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Place the bowl in the refrigerator
      and allow the dough to chill for 1 hour.

3.   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment
      paper or Silpat pads.
     
4.  Drop heaping tablespoons or #40 ice cream scoops of the dough 2 inches a-
     part on the prepared baking sheets, flattening them slightly by hand. (Balls of
     dough may be placed next to each other on parchment-lined baking sheets, 
     frozen, transferred to sipper-lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freezer 
     for up to 1 month. Place frozen cookies on prepared sheets as above, and defrost
     on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.)

5.  Bake until just light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on
     the baking sheets before using a metal spatula to transfer them to wire rack to
     cool completely. Chocolate Chip Cookies will keep in an airtight container for
     2 to 3 days.