Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is not the original recipe. I have an autographed cookbook from 1942. One wrong item are the chocolate chips--she said 14 oz, not 12. My family went to her restaurant many, many times. My sister and I always asked if we could eat in the "tree room". The waitresses wore beautiful dresses. In those days there were many courses of food and no matter how big the group the waitresses were not allowed to write any order--they had to memorize everything.

Chilling cookie dough before baking solidifies the fat in the cookies. As the cookies bake, the fat in the chilled cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the less cookies spread. Also, the sugar in the dough gradually absorbs liquid. I still include the hot water. I add the baking soda to it so it dissolves, and then add this to the eggs, butter and vanilla mixture.

Flat cookies? Too much butter. Here is the equation for each type of chocolate chip cookie, whatever your preference thin and crisp: 2- 1/2 sticks butter, 1 -1/2 cups granulated, 3/4 cup brown sugar soft and chewy: 2 sticks butter, 1/2 cup granulated, 1 cup brown sugar light and cakey: 1- 3/4 cups butter, 3/4 granulated, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon white vinegar too much baking soda: reduce to 1/2 teaspoon all the other ingredients are OK always refrigerate dough at least 30 minutes