Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

I am starting this blog with a recipe for something that Sam can't have, at least for now, on his new Brain Food regimen, but it's symbolic of the fact that I can do this. I can come up with delicious foods to feed Sam, with the restrictions I am working under to give his brain the best chance. I developed this recipe for a vegan Mormon Missionary who was coming over for dinner, and it is still my all-time favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies, actually for any kind of cookies.


2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs (or flax-seed egg substitute*)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2.5 to 3 cups sifted flour (lightly spoon into cup; level with knife)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
A couple of handfuls of oatmeal (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, soda, powder, salt, and chocolate chips. Add oatmeal if desired. Using cookie scoop if possible, scoop onto baking sheet and bake for 8-11 minutes. Don't overbake. If they are too flat or greasy, add a little more flour. (I usually start with 2.75 cups and bake one cookie, then if it's too flat I add a little more flour and bake another one, doing this until it is the consistency I like.)

*I use a homemade egg substitute made of ground flax seeds. For each egg, put 1 tbsp. ground flax seed with 3 tbsp. water in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds. Stir, and as it cools it will be the consistency of beaten eggs. Now you can eat the dough raw without worry! (Unless you have a rare flax seed allergy....) The ground flax from Costco is great (flaxusa.com). I keep it in the freezer as once it's ground it is perishable.