Presidential Chocolate Chip Cookies

Surely a glass of milk and these chocolate chip cookies made the tough business of running a country a little bit easier! This chocolate chip cookie recipe is from Roland Mesnier, former White House Executive Pastry Chef- he baked for five different U.S. Presidents over the course of over 25 years. I found this recipe in my University's alumni magazine several years ago, and I pull it out from time to time when I want something a little different than my "go-to" recipe for chocolate chip cookies. The molasses in this cookie makes it wonderfully chewy and gives it a complex flavor. Enjoy this presidential perk without any of the strings attached!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from Roland Mesnier, Dessert University

Ingredients:

3 cups plus 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

•  Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, molasses and vanilla extract.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir just until incorporated.
• Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Chill dough for at least one hour. (Dough can be made the day before you want to bake.)
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (The high temp. browns the outside of the cookie while keeping the inside moist and gooey.)
• On a parchment covered baking sheet, drop dough by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart.
• Bake just until light golden, for 8-10 minutes. (Do not overbake! They will become over-brown on the outside and dry on the inside.)
• Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely. They will keep fresh in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
• Makes about 70 cookies*
• * Don't want that many cookies at one time? Dough balls can be individually frozen (before baking) and kept in a container in the freezer for baking at a later time. (Up to 1 month) When you want to bake the frozen cookies, let them stand at room temp. for 30 minutes and then bake as directed.