Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies {Copycat}

I've mentioned before that I am more of a brownie/bar kind of gal, but these cookies may have changed that forrrrrreeeeeeverrrrrrr.  When I say Holy Cow I mean Holy Cow.  These cookies are like heaven.  I think they may be the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever made.  Actually I know they are.  They are big.  They are chewy.  They are thick.  They have little morsels of chocolate chips perfectly spread in every bite.  I've never used mini chocolate chips before but I LOVE THEM and I don't know why I've waited this long to use them.  Since these cookies are so thick the mini chips distribute perfectly throughout the cookies and allows the balance between the chocolate and the cookie in each bite to be just right.  You really need to try these.  If not today, soon.  Very soon.  And I'm only saying this because when you find something you love you can't wait to share it with people you care about.  I really think I'm going to be texting all my siblings right now saying they've gotta try these.

I've never bought a cookie at Panera before so I don't know if these really are just like them but I have to tell you that in a matter of 5 days I have made this recipe twice.  And these cookies are large so it wasn't because they were teeny-tiny.  It was because they were so gosh darn good I couldn't stand to not have any in my freezer.

Colby grew up with cookie dough in his freezer.  I've never bought chocolate chip cookie dough at the store before (well, maybe the first year we were married for his birthday), so he hasn't had his chocolate-chip-cookie-dough ready at his fingertips in almost the last 10 years.  Until now.  His face lit up when he opened the freezer door and saw these glorious balls all zipped up in their ziploc bags.

These cookies transfer so well from freezer to oven.  I just love this!  I think I'm going to start doubling this recipe because how great it is to have delicious homemade cookie dough ready at your finger tips just waiting to either be eaten frozen (if you need your cookie-dough craving satisfied) or placed right into the oven and less than 20 minutes later wah-lah: Heaven in a cookie.

Scoop out 1/4 cup at a time.

I place them on a cookie sheet because I like to see them all lined up and ready to go in the bag.

Ready to freezer up.

They. Are. Perfect.

The biggest.

The thickest.

The chewiest.

So much fun to share with friends.

Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: About 24 Large cookies

Note: You don't have to use dark brown sugar.  I've used both and the light brown sugar seems to be a little sweeter, but both turn out wonderfully.  You also don't have to use mini chocolate chips.  I've also made these with normal size, but I have to tell you the truth - the mini chips were just so much better and more fun!

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/3 cups al-purpose flour, unbleached
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a stand mixer, beat butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs and beat well.  And vanilla and beat well until all is combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients beating well after each addition until all is well combined.  Add in chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.

Scoop out dough using a 1/4 measuring cup.  Then form each measuring cup into a ball (I kind of mind mine a little more square), place on your cookie sheet, and press down a little on the top ever so slightly to flatten.  Continue until all the dough is balled.  I usually end up with about 27 large cookies.  Place each ball of dough in a freezer bag (you can fit between 16-20 balls in a bag) and freeze for 2 hours or up to 3 months.

When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.  Remove cookie dough from freezer and place on prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 15-17 minutes.  (Do not thaw cookie dough.  It can go right from the freezer to the oven.  Genius!)  Let cookies cool for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Recipe Source: The Pinning Mama