spring treats #5: Karen's Chocolate Chip Cookies

i'm not going to bore you about my cookie dilemma, because you've all heard about it a thousand times. and remember how i also said that i found the perfect recipe?!

i am so excited to share this with you my friends.

prepare to have your world rocked with fool-proof cookies.

Karen, our family friend, is an incredible cook and baker, and put together a cookbook for me when we got married.

while i was poring through recipes and cookbooks, i found Karen's recipe that she worked on  for ten years to perfect.

i've tested them out at least 4 times now, and they have been great every time.

enjoy!

Karen's Fool-Proof Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. shortening (crisco)

3/4 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. lemon juice*

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and shortening together. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, mix well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into shortening mixture until blended (do not beat with a mixer to combine!). Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough with cookie scoop or by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on pan 1 minute then transfer to cooling rack. 

*Note: i have used fresh lemon juice and it worked fine, but store bought lemon juice works great!

Karen's Cookie Variations:

for Giada's Cookies-

Use 1/2 c. nutella in place of the shortening, and add 1/2-1 c. hazelnuts.

for Double Chocolate Cookies-

add 1/3 c. cocoa to dry ingredients.

enjoy!