Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is the Best.  I have found that if I use REAL BUTTER and good quality CHOCOLATE CHIPS they are amazing.  These cookies keep well.  If you cook them for 8 minutes then they will stay softer longer.  It makes a ton of dough so you can have some for freezing or tons to enjoy now.

 This picture is of the coconut cookie variation

Here's some variations:
Classic - 2 bags of  semi-sweet chocolate chips (my fav.) or try replacing one bag with milk choc. chips
Butterscotch - one bag of Butterscotch chips, 1 bag of toffee bites
Coconut - Buttered flavored shortening, one bag of chocolate chips, 1 bag of toffee bites, use 1/2 a bag of coconut and only 5 cups of flour

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
 By: Home Run Recipes
 Makes 5-6 Dozen


1 Cup of Vegetable Shortening
1 Cup Real Butter (softened not melted)
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
5 3/4 cup Flour (I've had to add 6 cups before. If the first batch cooks flat add a little more flour)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 bags of Choc. Chips (12 oz. bags)

1. Mix the shortening and butter with the white and brown sugar.   
2. Add the eggs and vanilla
****  Now mix these until they change to a beautiful lighter colored cream.  This is very important.  It takes at least 3 minutes but mixing it for 5 or 6 minutes will gaurantee it's mixed well.  I know people who mix for 10 minutes to be safe.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together.
4. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Mix well. Then add the other 1/2 of the flour mixture.
5. Finally add the chocolate chips.
***DO NOT use cooking spray on your pan.  This makes the cookies bake uneven.  I use parchment paper or nothing.  Just scoop those cookies right onto the pan.
6. BAKE for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden on top.  This leaves the center nice and soft.  If you cook until they are golden colored all over they are overcooked.

FREEZING the dough for later enjoyment.  I used to form the dough into balls and freeze them.  I thought this was soooo smart.  I could just pull out however many cookies already formed that I needed.  But I was always sneaking a ball of frozen cookie dough now and then.   This new idea came from Martha Stewart and it keeps me from sneaking frozen cookie dough.  It's way to hard to sneak a log of dough. 

STEP 1 - Put some dough on a piece of wax paper.  Use the paper shape it into a log and roll it up in the wax paper. 

 STEP 2. Cover in Plastic Wrap

STEP 3 - Put dough logs in a freezer bag.  
STEP 4 - Defrosting is simple.  When you are ready for cookies just pull out a log and microwave for 20 seconds.  Pull off the dough you want and bake just like before 8-10 minutes.