Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cakey)

My favorite kind of chocolate chip cookie is cakey and thick. It is a chewy and warm and can reliably be purchased at Levain's Bakery in New York City. In my twenty-three year life span, I have endeavored several dozen recipes to achieve this end at home. But over the weekend, when I made scones, it occurred to me that I might adapt that scone recipe to create a cookie of a similar consistency. 

The key to maintaining the shape? Using butter that is extremely cold. And using much less butter than the canonical Toll House recipe. 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 egg

1 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice butter into edamame-sized pieces, then stick it in the freezer.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until fluffy.
• Rub the butter into the dry ingredients quickly using your fingertips until no pieces larger than a pea remain.
• Add the cream and egg to the dry ingredients, and mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips, and knead a few times if necessary.
• Use an ice cream scoop to scoop even sized portions of cookie dough onto the parchment paper, leaving about 1.5 inches of space in between each scoop of dough.
• When you put the baking sheet in the oven, lower the temperature to 375.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and firm.
• Enjoy.

25 minutes prep time, 1 hour total. Makes 16 cookies.