The Chocolate Chip Cookie That's Blowing Minds
People of the Internet: We need to tell you something.
We disagree.
We disagree with the so-called life-changing chocolate chip cookie that's been heralded as the most delicious treat since, well, ever. If you've been living under a rock (or don't keep up with cookie current events the way the Delish staff does), we're talking about the Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookie in Alison Roman's Dining In cookbook.
BUY NOW: Dining In, $27; amazon.com
In interview after interview, Roman has discussed her qualms with traditional chocolate chip cookies: They're too sweet, she says, too soft, too doughy, too eggy, too big. So the chef took the few parts she loved and created a new recipe, one that's a littler saltier, more buttery, and what Roman calls the perfect size.
So, like everyone else, we decided to test them out. But, unlike everyone else, we didn't fall head over heels. It's not that the cookies aren't good. Butter + sugar + chocolate can't really be bad. It's just that they definitely will not be replacing classic chocolate chip cookies for us. Here's why:
The recipe is fussy.
If you're looking for a simple cookie recipe, this isn't it. For starters, you likely don't have all the ingredients on hand. The dough calls for salted butter - don't ignore this; it's key to the flavor of the cookie - which, even in the Delish test kitchens, we rarely keep around. You also have to roll the edges of the cookies in Demerara sugar. It's a coarse, brown variety that can be swapped with turbinado, but neither are called for commonly.
On top of all that, you have to chill the log of dough for two hours before cutting it into rounds and baking it. Popping dough in the fridge isn't unusual (it helps cookies keep their shape in the oven), but it's annoying when you're in an I-want-cookies-now! mood.
You have to wait for the cookies to cool before eating them.
There's not much that beats eating a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie, but Roman's recipe doesn't allow for that to happen. She instructs bakers to "Let cool slightly before eating them all," which is cute, but misleading. There's a real reason to bring the temperature down, and that's to let the cookies come to a proper consistency. When warm, the cookies aren't really the texture of shortbread; they're not chewy, really soft, and taste like a mistake.
There's too much chocolate.
We know: We didn't think that was possible, either. But the cookies are small - a requirement for Roman - so the chocolate-to-dough ratio seems a little off. There are almost too many chunks in each cookie. They overpower the dough, which is, admittedly, pretty good.
Listen, we won't purport to know what the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world is. That's something that'll be debated until the end of time. We'll just say, for us, Roman's isn't it.
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