Cookies & Community: A Look at Community & a Delicious Cookie Recipe

This has been a great weekend. One full of community. Full of friends, both new and old. Full of late nights. Games played. Beautiful, vulnerable, grace-filled conversations. So really, it was one of the best kinds of full weekends.

We started the weekend off with seeing one of our oldest friends, “Uncle” Josh. Whenever he comes into town, we get ready for silly fun with the kids, great pizza, games, and homemade cookies.

So today, I’m going to share our delicious, super secret, cookie recipe. Except, when I say “our,” I mean Greg’s. I have never actually made these any cookies myself. And it’s not our recipe. It’s actually from the Joy of Cooking. This paragraph was just a series of disappointments. You’re welcome.

But in all seriousness, these cookies are amazing. And I take all desserts very seriously.

According to the recipe, this should make 3 dozen cookies. However, I prefer large cookies, so I feel less guilty and can only eat one cookie, instead of 5. So we only make 2 dozen. And with no more ado, here is the glorious recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup + 2 tbs all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 stick unsalted, softened butter

1/2 cup sugar (though we are a little generous with this measurement)

1/2 cup brown sugar (again, we are generous)

1 large egg

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

I always line up the ingredients I will need when I cook. It’s so much easier than having to scrounge for the missing ingredient while you’re trying to cook!

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine flour and baking soda in a small bowl.

In a separate, larger bowl, beat together (on medium speed) the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Once well blended, add the egg, salt, and vanilla.

Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture. Be sure to stir until it is blended together well. Then add the chocolate chips.

Spoon out the dough and drop it onto the cookie sheet (already greased, don’t use tinfoil! It’s totally worth the dirty dishes to have some crispy edged cookies sans aluminum. And with that soft and gooey center (insert heart-eyed smiley face emoji. Seriously)). The key is not to over-knead it. (We literally use a regular spoon and drop it onto the cookie sheet.) Be sure to space them well. We space 3 cookies per row, with 4 rows.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Transfer cookies to cookie rack, and bake the second dozen.

Mixing: Round 2. Addint the egg, salt, and vanilla.

Tray 1, ready to go in the oven.

We love to make something for our guests. I feel like it is an intentional act that shows they are worth our time and our effort. But maybe especially because we usually order the actual dinner!

Except now they know how easy it is to make these cookies. I guess the important part is that I’m sharing delicious cookies with them.

Do you have an easy, go-to recipe when you have friends over? Or something that you think of when you are getting ready for some great time in community? (Like deep dish pizza? Just throwing it out there. I’m excited to hear what food you share with the people in your life!)